


Magic Within Us - An Ateez / Hogwarts AU

by danigoldaron



Category: ATEEZ (Band), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: ATEEZ (Band) Are Pirates, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Angst, Battle, Dueling, Epic Tale, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Romance, Werewolves, hero - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:40:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 46,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22661134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danigoldaron/pseuds/danigoldaron
Summary: Alternate universe where San is an exchange student from Korea attending Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry and the adventures that he has with his friends.
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi
Comments: 44
Kudos: 257





	1. The Hogwarts Express

San pulled his trunk on to the train and started down the hall as the train lurched into motion. People passed him by, some giving him strange glances as he looked into different cars trying to find one that wasn’t already full. Several girls passed him and smirked as they looked him up and down. Their eyes wandered from his hair to his very obvious letter that was still clutched in his hand. The only sign that he was nervous. 

Breaking eye contact, San continued down the hall, still trying to find a place to sit. 

Familiar words made their way down the hall as San recognized two voices speaking Korean in a nearby compartment. With a sigh of relief San headed to the car. 

Inside, two boys sat across from each other. One was lying across the bench, one arm tucked beneath his head as he threw a small ball up in the air, catching it over and over again. 

“Yeah but I really don’t think Ravenclaw is going to win the Quidditch Cup this year. Yaxley just isn’t going to have a good enough team to beat Hufflepuff.” 

“Yeah but Yunho lost two chasers and I don’t see who he could have replaced them.” The other boy who was sitting across the bench said as he flipped a page in his book. His legs crossed as he sat upright with his book placed lazily on his knee. 

Two girls bumped into San and he fell into the doorway. A loud thwump making both boys look away from their respective objects. The girls giggled and smiled, giving small waves to the boy reading the book as they passed by. 

“Oh um, sorry.” San muttered. His hand reached up to rub his shoulder on the spot that had hit the door. “I just- are you guys part of the exchange program too?” 

“Yeah, you must be new. Come, join us.” The one lying across the bench sat up and patted the spot next to him. “I’m Hongjoong.”

“And I’m Seonghwa.” The other boys smiled before he turned his attention back to his book. 

“San.” San pulled his trunk into the compartment and lifted it onto the rack above the bench. 

“Nice to meet you San. Do you know what house you want to be in? I’m in Gryffindor and Seonghwa is in Ravenclaw.”

“No, my letter says that I’ll do a private sorting after the feast.” Glancing down, San’s hands smooth out the crumpled letter. The small, cramped letters stared back at him as he read the letter for what felt like the hundredth time.

Dear Choi San,  
Thank you for considering the Hogwarts exchange program. We are glad to accept you for your 6th year of school. Please arrive at Kings Cross station on the 1st of September by 11 am. After the feast find a head boy or head girl and they will lead you to the Headmistress’ office where you will be sorted into your house for the remainder of the year.  
Attached is your list of books and supplies….

It continued on.

Carefully, San folded the letter and pushed it into his jacket pocket. “It says that I’m supposed to find a head boy or girl? Do you know where I can find them?” 

“You’re in luck. I am Gryffindor’s head boy. I’ll help you out.” A small half smile curved Hongjoong’s lips. He wore a baggy t-shirt and dark black skinny jeans. Some obscure band was printed on the front of his shirt. 

San was about to ask another question when the compartment door banged open and two tall boys struggled to get through the door at the same time and tumble onto the floor. Their limbs jumbled together as they tried to stand up. 

“Would you stop? No, Mingi. Just- Hold still.”

“I’m trying, It’s not my fault your buttons are caught on my sweater.” 

The two boys finally detangled themselves and sat down next to Seonghwa. Both of them tried to fit their lanky limbs into a comfortable position. Finally, their eyes focused on San and squinted at him. 

“Oh hello,” said the first who was sitting closest to Seonghwa. “I’m Mingi!” Mingi had bright orange hair that was cut short and styled messily on his head. 

“Yunho.” The other new boy raised his hand and gave a small wave. His dark wide eyes crinkled as he smiled. 

“San.”

Seonghwa looked up from his book. “Don’t worry San these theatrics are completely normal.” He turned his attention to Yunho. “Hongjoong doesn't think you're going to be able to take the quidditch cup this year.” 

“What?!” Yunho turned to stare at Hongjoong. “You doubt my abilities? You doubt my team?” 

“What team? You’re down two chasers, and a seeker. You barely have a team.” Hongjoong laughs as he leans back and grins over at Yunho. 

“Ah, who needs them. Jongho and I can take it all just by ourselves. Plus we have Amber Spinnet. A god on a broomstick if I ever met one.” A sigh of longing escaped him as he stared off to nowhere in particular.

“Amber only likes Ravenclaws.” Mingi snickered, his eyes darted to Seonghwa. Something about it made San think that maybe Amber liked one Ravenclaw in particular. 

“Do you play quidditch San?” Hongjoong asked, quickly changing the subject.

“Uh, yeah. I usually play seeker but I’m not a half bad keeper either.” He shrugged. 

“Oh you should join Hufflepuff! Like Hongjoong was saying, we need a seeker.” An excited Yunho gives a thumbs up to San. 

“You know he can’t choose that, the hat decides.” Mingi gives Yunho a light shove. “Did you hear though that Snippet broke his leg over break and won’t be able to play for the season, so Slytherin is out their best player.” 

“You’re right. I changed my mind, maybe Hufflepuff does have a chance. If only because all the other teams forfeit because of injury.” Hongjoong chuckled. 

The others laugh and Seonghwa rolls his eyes, just visible over the edge of his book. 

“How many people are in the exchange program?” San asked curiously. 

“Around twenty or so. But only seven, or I guess eight now, of us are from South Korea.” Hongjoong explained. 

“So, you guys, me, and three others?” 

“Yeah there’s us and Jongho, he’s in Hufflepuff with Yunho and I. And then there’s Yeosang and Wooyoung. They’re in Slytherin. They like to pretend they’re all high and mighty.”

A loud bang and smoke filled the hallway outside. Several students ran past the door. 

“Hongjoong!” A younger boy came into the compartment, his hand waving in front of him as he waved the smoke out of his face. “Wooyoung is dueling.”

“Speak of the devil.Why the fuck is he dueling on the train for? He’s a prefect. He’s supposed to be the one stopping the dueling!” Hongjoong grumbled as he took his wand out of his back pocket and stomped into the hallway. 

As Hongjoong exited, Jongho walked over and sat on the floor against the wall. 

“I’m not sure why Mcgonnagall chose him to be a prefect. He’s always causing trouble.” Seonghwa turned back to his book and continued reading. 

In the silence that followed a soft squeaking seemed to come from Mingi’s jacket. 

With a soft huff and laying his book down on his knee with his finger bookmarking the page he was on, Seonghwa glanced over at Mingi. “What poor animal have you got shoved in your pocket this time?”

With a mischievous smile, Mingi pulled out a small mole looking animal that was chewing on a piece of gold. 

“It’s a Niffler.” Mingi pressed the small animal to his cheek and nuzzled it. “I found it digging around in my yard at home. I can’t wait to show Hagrid. Did you know that a Niffler can smell gold over two miles away?” 

“Mingi, You don’t know what diseases that thing might have.” Seonghwa looked down at the niffler with disdain. 

“If you just hold him, you’ll see, he’s the cutest thing that ever did crawl.” Mingi reached out his hand that held the niffler towards Seonghwa. 

With a grimace Seonghwa pushed Mingi’s hand away. “No thank you.”

The compartment door slid open again and Hoongjoong stepped in, dragging a smirking boy behind him. 

“Wooyoung is going to join us. Because at least here he can’t cause as much damage.” 

Before the door closed, another boy slid in and leaned back against the frame. San had to guess that this was Yeosang. Wooyoung’s best friend. “New kid, What’s with your hair? Do you have a skunk as a long lost relative?”

San reached up to touch the streak of white in his hair. “I- no.”

“So what’s the deal then?” Yeosang shrugged.

“I’d rather not talk about it.” San looked out the window and watched the landscape change rapidly. He had been hoping that no one would bring up the white streak in his otherwise raven colored hair. He still wasn’t ready to talk about the accident. 

“I’m Wooyoung, Slytherin prefect.” Wooyoung reached out his hand down to where San was sitting. The other hand still clutching his wand shoves it in his front pocket. 

“San.” He grasped Wooyoung’s hand and shook it. 

The way Wooyoung was staring at him, his ears flushed red. He couldn’t help it. Wooyoung’s eyes were glancing all over his face. Taking a second to look at every feature before he let go of San’s hand. 

“So who were you fighting this time?” Seonghwa asked. He seemed completely able to keep reading as he talked and only put the book down to make a point. 

“Just some stupid Gryffindors who though they knew more than I did. But don’t worry, they won’t soon forget that I know more about dueling than they do.” As he spoke, Wooyoung turned around and sat in between Mingi and Yunho. “I mean one of them tried to do a full body bind curse, and it wasn’t even strong enough to break my shield charm. I mean come on, I could do that as a second year.” 

“Just because Barley chose to do a poorly done body bind curse does not mean that-”

“Oh no all you Gryffindors think the same, Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. There's a difference.” Wooyoung objected. 

Still leaning against the door, Yeosang snickered in agreement his head nodding, making his blonde hair shake. 

“Isn’t that like saying all Slytherins are evil?” San asked. 

“Aren’t we?” Wooyoung laughed and winked at San. His eyes are still looking him over.

Without an answer, San sat there staring back at Wooyoung. Finally he said, “I haven’t decided yet.” 

“OUCH! Mingi your stupid thing bit me!” Seonghwa shouted.

Scrambling to grab hold of the Niffler again, Mingi jumped on top of the seat. “It wasn’t his fault! He thought your ring was gold and so he wanted it.” 

“Just keep the animal in your coat please.” Seonghwa sighed, his finger going to his mouth as he sucked on the spot where he was bit. “I better not get any kind of diseases from it.” 

“Nice to meet you, Flower.” Wooyoung smirked as he headed out of the compartment. His wand was already in his hand again. “I’m going to go get my robes on. See ya later.” 

Yeosang followed after him, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. 

“Flower?” San asked after he left looking between the others. 

Mingi shrugged as he pet the niffler. 

“Nickname? Maybe?” Hongjoong suggested. “But we should all get changed into our robes.”

“Yeah,” San stared at the compartment door Wooyoung had just gone through. His mind still remembering the smile and his black hair as it fell into his eyes.


	2. Sorting

When San exited the train, his senses overwhelmed with thousands of new things. He remembered that he needed to stay with Hongjoong, and luckily it was hard to miss Hongjoong’s white blonde hair. San could also spot Mingi’s and Yunho further ahead. Their height gave them away amongst the crowd. 

“Dang it, where did Seonghwa go?” Hongjoong muttered as San caught up. 

Now that they were both standing San could tell how short Hongjoong was. San wasn’t the tallest guy and Hongjoong was at least two inches shorter than he was. The difference made San smile for petty reasons, but smile nonetheless. 

The two of them follow the crowd down the path. At the end, the largest man San had ever seen was beckoning first years to him. It had to be Hagrid, gamekeeper and professor of Care of Magical Creatures. He had heard that the gamekeeper took all the first years across the lake their first time at Hogwarts, and even though he had been told how tall Hagrid was it did not prepare him for the massive girth the man took up. 

“Move along everyone!” The giant yelled, “First years to me!” A small group of scared first years were already gathered around him, none standing too close in case he stepped forward and crushed one of them. 

“San, come on we go this way.” Hongjoong tugged on his sleeve. 

San hadn’t realized he had stopped to stare and hurriedly followed after the rest of the older students. Several carriages lined up in the distance. One pulling away as it was filled with students. A large leather horse without eyes and large wings at its sides pulled the carriage. A Thiestrial. 

As they waited in line, San couldn’t keep his eyes off the animal. It wasn’t beautiful by any means but it had a certain elegance and frightening stature. Of course a creature that could only be seen by people who had seen death had to be some sort of scary. 

They edged closer and closer to the carriages, San’s eyes never left the creatures. He could vaguely hear Yunho and Hongjoong arguing over quidditch. 

“Can you see them?” 

San gave a small jump as Seonghwa spoke and startled him. “Yeah, I can see them.” He watched as the thiestrial closest to them shook its head and pawed at the ground with one of its front paws. “Can you see them?”

“Yeah, I was seven. Freak accident; a man jumped in front of our car, my dad’s a muggle and he never got used to magical transportation.” San looked over to see Seonghwa crossing his arms and staring at the thestrial. A sharp undercut pulled his black hair back and away from his face. He turned to look at San, shadows cast across his face from the lamplight. “What about you?” 

A large lump formed in San’s throat. How was it that twice in one day people were asking him to talk about the worst day of his life. “I- uh-” he tried to clear his throat. “My mom.” He finally managed to say, but then the lump rose higher and tears filled his eyes. 

“Ah, say no more.” Seonghwa gave a grim smile and turned back to the carriages. 

They were finally at the front of the line now and they all piled into one of the carriages.

It lurched forward along the well worn path. San watched out the window as Hogwarts slowly came into view. Every window lit in glorious grandeur. Spires winded up and up. The sight was truly magical. 

They stepped out of the carriages and San caught sight of Wooyoung and Yeosang with a couple of other slytherins in their emerald green robes. They sneered at a couple third year girls. One of the other slytherins shouted something at the group before walking past and laughing at whatever the other boys said. 

As he looked around, Wooyoung’s eyes caught San looking and smiled before looking away, one arm slung round Yeosang as they walked taking large steps up the front steps.

“San!” Hongjoong yelled. 

San looked around to see Hongjoong and the others several meters ahead, all looking back expectantly at him. 

“Coming.” San spared one last look at Wooyoung before hurrying to catch up with his group. 

They all entered through the front doors and the entrance to the great hall loomed before them. Floating candles bobbed slightly in the imaginary breeze under the starry sky of deep, dark blues and purples. The four long tables stretched the length of the hall up until the raised dias where the long teacher’s table sat, all of the professors sitting at attention as students took their places. Large gaps were left at the fronts of all the tables for new first year students to sit once they were sorted. 

On the left hand side are massive hour glasses filled with gems in colors of gold, ruby, emerald, and safire. 

San sat down as his eyes continued to roam around the hall. 

English bombarded him. Hongjoong was talking to two blonde girls that looked like twins across the table. He tried to pay attention. 

“I ‘eard that exchange students aren’t allowed to be prefects any more.” One of the girls said in a heavy french accent. 

“I don’t know about that. I’m still head boy and Wooyoung of Slytherin and Boris of Hufflepuff are still prefects.” Hongjoong retorted. 

“It vos just a rumor, I vonted to know if it vos true.” The girl flipped her long locks over her shoulder and rested her head on her hand as she looked at Hongjoong. 

The other french girl turned her attention to San. “Vhat are you looking at? Do you think it is okay to stare?” Her thick accent making it hard to understand. 

“No sorry. I-”

“He’s with me Viola. He’s from South Korea like me.” Hongjoong wrapped his arm around San and smiled confidently back at the girls. 

“Votever.” The twin said dismissively. Both of them turned their attention away from San and to the person sitting on the other side of Hongjoong. 

Most of the students were sitting down now and a thin tall woman stood up from her position in the center of the teachers table. She wore deep forest green robes that flowed gracefully around her and a tall pointed hat sat tilted on her head. She walked up the the large owl podium and smiled as the whole hall quieted into silence.

“Welcome back to another wonderful year at Hogwarts.” She smiled as she looked over the four tables. “We shall start this year with the sorting.” She gestured to the shabby looking hat and stool next to her. 

This must be the headmistress, Professor Mcgonagall. 

The doors to the Great Hall opened and 30 wide eyed first years slowly made their way down the hall in between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. 

San watched as Magonogall called each child to sit on the stool and placed the hat on their head, waiting for the hat to call out a name. They would then go and sit with their table. With the people they would spend the next seven years with.

The rest of the feast passed by in a blur. Too much food and conversation whirled around him. The ghosts came out of the walls and the floors halfway through the meal. Cheerfully talking to all their favorite students. 

Once everyone’s bellies were full and their conversations dwindled down, Mcgonogall stood back at the podium. “Now that we are all fully satisfied. I would like to say a couple things. As a reminder every year, trips to the forbidden forest are only to be taken with a teacher escort. Madame Pomfrey has every remedy for Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes, so save yourself the trouble, the detention, and do not try it. Lastly, there have been some rumors about Mortom being spotted near Hogwarts. May I remind you that Hogwarts is the safest place and that to leave would be more a danger than staying. Hogsmead trips will be under constant supervision.” She paused to look over all the tables. Taking moments to stare at specific people meaningfully. “That is all. I hope that we can have a wonderful year. Your beds are waiting. Go. Go get some rest before the new year.” 

Next the loud scraping of benches filled the hall. Several people with prefect badges started calling for first years to follow them as they headed to their respective house dormitories. 

Hongjoong stood and beckoned San to follow him. They split off from the rest of the hoard of students. 

San followed down the halls, desperately trying to remember the way they went. Finally they approached a giant eagle statue. 

“Fera Verto.” Hongjoong said to the statue and it jumped to the side, revealing a small spiral staircase. Hongjoong lightly pushed San forward onto the first step and stepped in behind him as the staircase started to move, spiralling upwards until it came to a landing and a large oak door with several metal hinges. 

Hongjoong gave a small knock and the door swung inwards opening to a large open area. Picture frames with alert looking wizards and witches lined the walls. Most of their eyes stared at San as he entered with Hongjoong. Sitting on a small stool next to the desk was the sorting hat. Professor Mcgonogall sat at the desk 

“Professor, This is San Choi. He is one of the new exchange students.” 

“Ah yes, We need to do your sorting Mr. Choi. Come here.” She stood from her desk and gestured to the hat and the stool.

Nervously, San walked up to the hat. Magonogall picked up the hat and San sat down. The hat lowered down onto his head.

“Bravery but Mind,” a voice spoke quietly in his ear. “A kind heart can go many places.” 

San almost tried to look around him but then realized that the hat was speaking in his ear. 

“I have seen your past, and I have a couple of words for you.” The voice must only have been speaking to San because Magonogall and Hongjoong were just staring aimlessly around the room waiting for the hat. “Asking for help is not the worst thing in the world. The friends that you make here are more important than you think.”

Finally the hat spoke loudly and to the whole room. “Gryffindor!” 

Mcgonagall smiled as she took off the hat. “For eighteen years I was the head of Gryffindor house. I will have your things brought to your room. You will fit in well there.” She turned to Hongjoong. “I’m sure you know where to take him. Goodnight.” 

He turned to see Hongjoong smiling up at him. “Man, it's going to be so great to have another exchange student in Gryffindor. There's a couple others but none from Korea.” He talked as they walked out of the office and down the stairs. 

They continued to weave down the halls and up the great staircase. Hongjoong warned him that they moved. Only too late as the staircase shifted under their feet as he said it. 

After countless turns, they arrive at a large portrait of a fat lady who was drinking a glass of wine. 

“Merriwhip.” Hongjoong said to the lady. She nodded and her frame swung towards them. Behind it was a small portal. They both stepped through the way and into a cozy common room covered in red and gold and lions everywhere. 

Every new thing caught his attention, but he managed to walk after Hongjoong to one of the staircases in the back of the room. Up the staircase they went and Hongjoong spoke again. “All of us exchange students share a dorm regardless of our year, one because there are so few of us and also because the other students stay with their dorm mates for the entire time they’re at Hogwarts but we only stay for at most three years.”

“That makes sense.” San mumbled.

“We are rooming with one guy from russia and an american.” 

“Sounds like fun.” San said but he couldn't pay much attention anymore. 

“Oh it is.” Hongjoong chuckled. 

Hongjoong opened a door and two boys sat on their beds reading or laying quietly. There would be plenty of time for introductions tomorrow. But now the day was long and San could feel his limbs ache for the comfy bed in front of him. Without even opening his trunk he flopped down on the bed and closed his eyes.

His brain tried to run back through the day but the fogginess of sleep was already blanketing his mind and he told himself he would worry about it the next day. For now, he could let himself sleep.


	3. Quidditch Tryouts

San woke up and rubbed his eyes in the darkness of his bed, his bed curtains blocking out all light. 

He could hear movement from the other side and knew that his roommates were up and getting ready for the day. It was the first weekend of the semester and already most of them were swamped with homework for one class or another.

Sitting up, San turned and opened one of the curtains. His eyes squinting in the light of morning coming from their window. 

“Good morning San.” Hongjoong said as he sat fully dressed on his own bed and picked up the watch that was sitting on his bedside table and started to put it on. 

“Morning.” 

“I’m going to study with Seonghwa in the library, you’re more than welcome to join us.”

“Is it past breakfast already?” San asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. 

Hongjoong smiled, “Yeah, you were sleeping like a rock. I didn’t want to wake you.”

San hurriedly jumped out of bed, went to his trunk and started to rifle through it, looking for clothes that would be good against the cold. He could hardly forget that he had quidditch tryouts tonight. “Dang it, yeah I’ll come. I was out practicing for tryouts last night and I didn’t get back until late.” He found a black turtleneck sweater and dark tattered jeans. 

“Oh, I almost forgot those were today. You’ve been trying to get out almost every night since we got here to practice.” 

“Yeah, I never like to do things halfway. If I’m going to try out, I’m going to make sure I make the team.” He was grabbing his book bag from the end of the bed as he spoke, pulling it over his shoulder and he followed Hongjoong out of the room and down the hall. They made their way, twisting through still foreign halls to the library. 

“I don’t know how you make sense of it all,” said San as they found Seonghwa and sat down across from him. “I feel like every time I turn a corner I’m in a new hallway that I’ve never seen before.”

Seonghwa spoke from behind his book. “Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it.” 

“Isn’t there a map or something that I could use?” 

Hongjoong looked seriously over his shoulder at San, “Rumor has it that when Harry Potter was at school, he had a magical map that not only had the layout of the entire school but it could also tell where everyone was at any time.”

“What happened to it?” San asked. 

“No idea, he probably still has it. His son, James, is in his first year. Maybe he has it.” 

Seonghwa rolled his eyes. “Hongjoong you know that’s just a rumor. Don’t go talking about it like it’s real.” 

“Well you never know,” Hongjoong shrugged and pulled his inkwell and quill out of his book bag along with several pieces of parchment. “I need to write this essay for Professor Longbottom. He’ll kill me if I turn it in late.”

Professor Longbottom was the head of Gryffindor house and Professor of Herbology. He was a tall gangly man with dark hair and freckles all over his face. 

San had walked into the first class and immediately spotted Mingi and Yunho sitting on one of the benches. He hurried over to them and sat down. “Boy am I glad to see you guys, I just came from Potions with Ravenclaw and there was no one I knew. Not that I’m opposed to making friends.” 

“We totally get it. First day can be hard. What else do you have today?” Mingi asked looking over at San’s schedule. 

MONDAY - WEDNESDAY -EVERY OTHER FRIDAY  
Double Potions  
Herbology  
Lunch  
Free Period  
Charms

“So, hard morning, easy afternoon.” Yunho shrugged. “We only have herbology, and charms with you. What about the rest of the week?” 

TUESDAY- THURSDAY - EVERY OTHER FRIDAY  
Care of Magical Creatures   
Free Period  
Transfiguration  
Lunch  
Defense Against the Dark Arts  
History of Magic 

“We’ve got Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic, and Transfigurations together too! You’ll love Hagrid’s class, it's the best.” Mingi smiled and nodded excitedly. 

“Class, attention.” A loud voice called over the greenhouse. “My name is Professor Longbottom although after 5 years here I would hope you already knew that.” This made the whole class laugh lightly. “Yes good, relax, laughter is good. Now I know that you all are in here at the NEWT level, this means I expect much more from you than I did in past years. The class is harder and the work is more vigorous.” 

San could see Mingi and Yunho getting distracted by the plants directly behind Professor Longbottom. They were small grey cactus looking plants with what looked like several boils sitting on top of each cactus arm. 

“Now I can already see many of you wondering what these strange plants behind me are.” Professor Longbottom continued on. “Those are Mimbulus Mimbletonia. Everyone say it with me. Mimbulus Mimbletonia. Good, now does anyone know what this plant does?”

“No one? Mimbulus Mimbletonia, also known as Stinksap, yes I see some of you know what it is now. Stinksap is most commonly known for its very unique defense mechanism, which I will spare you the demonstration of. When threatened, the Mimbulus Mimbletonia will squirt out a foul smelling liquid to deter attackers.” Professor Longbottom had everyone's attention, no one wanted to get sprayed by one of those. “Mimbulus Mimbletonia is also an extremely valuable herbal remedy. So today we will be harvesting limbs from it, hopefully without setting off any of the boils. You will…” 

San was jolted back into the present as someone clapped their arm around his back and two muffins placed on top of the Care of Magical Creatures book he was supposed to be reading. 

“Here we brought you breakfast.” Mingi whispered.

“But don’t let Madam Pince catch you or she’ll make you scrub shelves for a week.” Yunho spoke right after, glancing around as he put his books on the table. 

“Oh thanks.” San bit into one of the muffins. He stared back down at his book and tried to find the place he had been reading.

“Oh are you doing Hagrid’s homework? I can help.” Mingi scooted closer and pulled his own paper out of his book. 

They all worked together quietly, Seonghwa and Hongjoong working on their homework for their classes, most of which they shared. But Mingi and Yunho worked diligently to help San with spelling and grammar. 

Several hours had passed when Seonghwa closed his book and started to pack up. “It’s time to go to lunch.”

As they packed up their books Wooyoung and Yeosang strolled by the table. 

“Hey Flower,” Wooyoung called. San felt his head look toward Wooyoung reflexively. “I heard you’re trying out for the quidditch team tonight. Maybe we’ll come watch you fail.” Behind Wooyoung, Yeosang snickered into a closed fist.

“Yeah thanks, except you’ll be there to watch me win.” San retorted in return. 

“We’ll see.” Wooyoung gave a half smile and a cocky nod of his head as if to say ‘sure’. He turned to walk away and Yeosang followed after him.

There was silence as the two Slytherins walked away and then Mingi held up his hands looked confused at San. “Wait wait-”

“You’re trying out for the quidditch team?” Yunho interrupted. 

“No wait, first, what happened between you two? I mean Wooyoung isn’t the nicest person but he’s not usually that mean.” 

As they all stood Hongjoong spoke up. “It's the anti-gryffindor agenda.” 

“The what?”

“The anti-gryffindor agenda,” said Seonghwa. “It's basically the name we gave for the long standing feud between all Gryffindors and Slytherins.”

“Wooyoung and Yeosang never had a problem with Hongjoong though.” 

A sigh came from Hongjoong, “He did when he first came, but he got over it. I’m older than he is and it's amazing what happens when you want to speak your native tongue.”

Both Mingi and Yunho had looks of understanding. They all walked out of the library and down the corridor to the Great Hall. 

Yunho finally moved over to walk by San. “Okay but you’re trying out for the Gryffindor team tonight?”

“Yeah, I’ve been practicing all week.” San smiled and looked at Yunho.

“If you had told me I could have helped!” He shouted exasperated. “I’m literally the captain of the Hufflepuff team!”

San couldn’t help but laugh, “And why would you want to help out the competition?”

He shrugged, “I’m a Hufflepuff, it’s what we do.” Proudly he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Of course now we’re all going to come watch.” 

“Yeah, Hongjoong and I will be there as well.” Seonghwa called as he left the group and started toward Ravenclaw table. 

“See you at the tryouts! Goodluck!” Yunho called as he also separated from their group, dragging Mingi behind him. “Hey Jongho guess what?” 

“Looks like you’re going to have your very own cheering section,” Hongjoong chuckled. “C’mon, let's eat.” 

***

San sat on the edge of the field adjusting his padding, making sure it was secure before tryouts started. 

In the stands, San could see Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Jongho, and Mingi. They all waved down at him as they caught his attention and he waved back, turning to the other people trying out for the team. 

Several girls and boys stood with shabby school brooms in their hands, waiting for the Captain to start. 

“Alright everyone, I’m looking for a Keeper, a Beater, and a Seeker. So if you could all get into groups according to your position and we’ll go from there.” The captain was tall and almost just as wide by the name of Emmett Blishwick. One of the best beaters Gryffindor had seen since the legendary Fred and George Weasley. His voice boomed over the crowd as people meandered into their groups. “Beaters First.” 

San watched with amusement as Emmett Swung Bludgers at all the potential beaters. The only casualty was when a second year boy dodged a bludger and nearly fell off his broom. 

“Seekers next.” Emmett called once all the beaters had landed safely back on the ground and the bludgers were back in their case. “Line up by the number on your Jersey.”

San looked down at his Nimbus 8x. By any standard it was a good broom and he didn’t see any others that seemed like they would pull ahead. He kicked off the ground and onto his broomstick all in one motion. 

Several cat calls followed him from the stands as he looped around the practice field and back into line. His Jersey was 5. Down in the stands he could just see his group cheering him on. They were joined by two figures that weren’t cheering and sat slightly off to the side, Wooyoung and Yeosang. San quickly looked back up. He could see Emmett watching him cautiously, as if he hadn’t decided if he liked the stunt or not. 

“Seekers!” He boomed. “As much as I’d like to let a snitch loose for each of you to see how fast you spot and catch it, that’s not the best idea.” 

He was right, it could take hours for some to find the snitch and they didn’t have time to sit around that long for every person. 

“Instead,” He paused to rummage in his pocket. “I will be throwing these around and you will have to catch them. You will be timed.” In his hand he held up a small ping pong ball. 

“Four! Catch!” Quickly, Emmett threw the ball behind him and watched as number four stared back at him dumbstruck. “Four. Land.”

“Two!” Number Two was quicker. They sped after the ball and back into place. 

And he went on. Until he finally called out “Five!” He threw the ball higher and farther than he had thrown any other ball. 

It didn’t matter. San pulled up on his broom as it flipped around and he urged it, speeding off after the ball, his hand outstretched to grasp the ball in front of him. He pulled out another trick and hooked one ankle around the back of his broom while the other stepped down on the bristles. He learned this back home. It was a way to turn without turning, instead he pulled the broom completely vertical before twisting and shooting off in the other direction. This way he didn’t have to fight momentum and could keep his speed. 

When he arrived back at the lineup he casually threw the ball to Emmett’s open hand. 

“Alright. Land everyone.” 

Once everyone had landed, Emmett conferred with the other members of the team before turning to the people trying out. 

“Alright, number six Keeper. Number one Beater, and Number five Seeker. We’ll meet on Tuesday at 6pm here on the practice field. Don’t be late.” With a final clap of his hands, Emmett turned away from the crowd and started toward the exit. 

San turned to look at the five boys standing and cheering, he lifted his fist and punched it into the air excitedly. Elation rushing through his veins. All he could do was wait as the guys climbed down from the stands and walked towards him. Wooyoung and Yeosang followed slightly behind them. 

“That was amazing!” Shouted Jongho. “I’ve never seen that move before. Where did you learn it? Can you teach me?” 

“Oh how I wish that you were in Hufflepuff. Congrats man.” Yunho laughed as he swung his arm around San. 

“Yunho and I are going to get some snacks from the kitchens and we can all go celebrate up in the astronomy tower.” Mingi patted San on the back as he grabbed Yunho’s arm and pulled him toward the tower. 

“That was some good flying.” Hongjoong clasped his arm and smiled up at San. 

“Thanks, I do have a couple tricks up my sleeve if I do say so myself.” San laughed and smiled back at the group. Wooyoung and Yeosang had joined the circle. 

Yeosang’s hands were deep in his pockets as he stood and smirked at San. But Wooyoung spoke first, “You surprised me Flower.” A glint in his eye was the only sign that he wasn’t being sarcastic. 

San and Wooyoung stared at each other for a moment before an uncomfortable cough broke the silence.

“Wooyoung and Yeosang, are you guys coming to celebrate?” 

“Yeah, I think we’ll come.” Wooyoung looked back at Yeosang before looking ahead again to San. 

“Alright, let’s go.” Hongjoong stepped forward and led the group past the practice field and onto the school grounds.


	4. Butterbeer

A large gust of wind ruffled through San’s hair as he stepped onto the balcony of the astronomy tower. A deep breath in, San let his fingertips float forward as if he could grasp the wind. Behind him, Hongjoong was talking to Jongho about his OWLs as Seonghwa listened in. 

The balcony was empty except for a large rectangle table pushed off to the side, several chairs were pushed haphazardly into it. Several telescopes were bolted down onto the railing of the edge. 

“San,” Seonghwa called. “What career are you working towards?” 

San turned around from the edge of the balcony and walked towards the group. “Auror.”

“Of course, Gryffindor with something to prove.” Yeosang said as he walked up the steps. “You know the world doesn’t need you to save it.” 

“And what are you planning on doing after school Yeosang?” Seonghwa retored quickly before San could say something. He sat down at one of the tables and rested his chin on the knuckles of his hand. 

“Apothecary.” Yeosang said as he sat down across from Seonghwa. 

“Wooyoung? What about you?” Jongho asked. 

Wooyoung reached into his pocket and pulled out his wand. “Gringotts. Curse breaker.” He tapped his wand carelessly on his thigh as if he was aching to duel someone. He stood still, but his eyes glanced around, staring out to the horizon. 

“I almost think that Wooyoung has more to prove than San,” said Hongjoong as he smiled. “After all, an Auror is a dangerous job only for the dark wizard catchers. There’s other divisions San might want to go into. But Curse Breakers, those guys are the ones that feel like they have to prove that they’re the biggest and baddest guys around.” 

“I want to go into the Protection sector.” San spoke up. 

They all stared back at him. Wooyoung was about to speak up when Yunho and Mingi pushed through the doors. Both of them were carrying large bags full of food. They set the food down on the table and started to pass it around. 

“I asked the house elves to give us some alcohol but they said they could only give us weaker spirits. So they gave us butterbeer.” Mingi grumbled as he took a seat next to Jongho. 

San sat down next to Hongjoong and Wooyoung sat down across from him. His wand shoved back in his pocket again. There were gentle conversations around the table as people filled their plates. The butterbeer also made it around the table. 

“Ok, I’ve been dying to know. San,” Yunho spoke up across the table. “Where did you learn to fly?” 

San managed to swallow the food he was eating before he spoke up, “When I was younger I had a private teacher, you might have heard of him. Victor Krum.” 

Both Yunho and Jongho spewed butterbeer out of their mouths as they sputtered and choked on their drinks. Then Yunho started to shout. “THE VICTOR KRUM. THE VICTOR KRUM WHO JUST RETURNED TO THE BULGARIAN TEAM AND WON THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP? THAT VICTOR KRUM?” 

Yeosang was left trying to wipe butterbeer off his face as he looked distastefully over at the two fangirling boys. 

“Yeah, I mean he taught me almost four years ago now, so I’m a little rusty but he did it as a special favor to my mom. He had been retired for several years, so it wasn’t as big of a deal then as it is now.” Shrugging, San turned away from all of the gaping faces. 

“How did your mom get Victor Krum to tutor you?” 

San looked straight ahead at Wooyoung who was gulping down his butterbeer. “They were, uh, involved, at the time.” He admitted reluctantly. 

“Oh,” an even more awkward silence followed. Jongho made the mistake of taking another sip of butterbeer and began choking on his drink. 

“Someone pass me more butterbeer.” Wooyoung spoke into the silence. Hongjoong gave him the bottle and turned to start a different conversation with Mingi. 

“We were talking about careers earlier, Mingi, don’t you want to go into Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?” 

“Yeah,” Mingi said excitedly. “Or I think I’ll apply to the Chinese Dragon Protection Program. It has the second biggest coven of wild Dragons in the world.” 

“That sounds awesome, You can finally be with your own kind.” Yeosang chuckled. 

“Be nice.” Hongjoong looked over at Yeosang disapprovingly. 

San could only just see Yeosang roll his eyes as he started to eat more food. 

San turned to stare at Wooyoung. His cheeks to his ears were flushed bright red. “Are you tipsy from Butterbeer?” he asked incredulously. 

“Yeah I’m a fucking lightweight Flower. What are you going to do about it?” His eyes squinted as he stuck out his tongue and turned to say something to Mingi. 

“I’m going to take the butterbeer away from you.” San whispered more to himself than to Wooyoung. He grabbed the cup in front of Wooyoung when he wasn’t looking and poured it into his own cup, but halfway through Wooyoung looked forward again and caught San. 

“Hey!” He shouted as he stood and tried to grab his drink away from San. “Stop, that’s mine!” 

“Nope! You’ve had enough.” San pushed his chair back. In one motion he tipped the butterbeer up and into his mouth, gulping down the whole thing. 

He smiled at Wooyoung. A cunning, teasing smile. Wooyoung smiled back at him, their eyes locked, the air around them swirled in the breeze atop the astronomy tower, charging the air with electricity.

They didn’t break eye contact as Wooyoung sat down with a huff and leaned back in his chair. His cheeks still bright red as he bit down on his bottom lip. 

A sharp intake of breath escaped San as the air charged unbearably before he looked away and forced himself to take a deep breath. 

Mingi was laughing as he finished a story about how he flew a hippogriff for the first time and the whole table broke into laughter. San and Wooyoung joined in hesitantly. 

“I am actually so surprised that you’re alive.” Seonghwa chuckled. 

“Seonghwa, are we even allowed to be here?” 

“Oh yeah, Professor Summers lets me up here all the time, she won’t mind.” 

“Oh Seonghwa’s wooing the ladies.” Mingi laughed as Seonghwa swatted at him over the table. 

“Listen, every girl in my year is in love with Seonghwa. Seonghwa this, Seonghwa that!” Yunho pretended to squeal as he and Hongjoong grasped hands and faked swooning. 

Laughter erupted across the table. 

Small conversations started up, several people talking at once.

San stood and walked to the edge of the balcony. The telescopes hung three feet apart from each other, all in the positions they were last used. San closed one eye and went up to the nearest telescope. In the viewfinder were several small stars clustered around what looked to be a very big planet. 

“What are you looking at?” A voice whispered next to him.

San jerked up from the telescope to look at Wooyoung. He sat facing away from the ledge, his back propped up on the wall as he crossed his arms and looked lazily over at San. A half grin on his face. “Jupiter I think.” said San, he stepped back and gestured for Wooyoung to look. 

“Nah I’m good Flower.” He looked San up and down. His eyes squinted together. A small hiccup escaped his mouth. 

“What does that even mean? Flower?” San asked, mirroring Wooyoung and crossing his arms. 

Wooyoung gave a small chuckle, “Do you know… Bambi?”

“Bambi? No.” San could feel one of his eyebrows rise in curiosity. Bambi sounded like a made up word.

“Oh then, you wouldn’t get it,” said Wooyoung.

“What is it?” 

“It’s a movie... About a baby deer. He’s so small.” He paused to squish his hands together, “And his mom dies and he’s raised by his dad, who is the head stag in their herd.” 

San stared, shocked at Wooyoung. He had never seen him act like this. So free, so casual. But something else, something unknown pulled at San, he couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong. “Okay, and what does flower have to do with Bambi?” 

There was silence as Wooyoung scrutinized San through drunken eyes. “Tell me something about you first.”

“Like what?” San chuckled. 

“Like… tell me about…” Wooyoung paused, pouting his lips out as he thought. “Tell me about your first kiss.” 

Random, San thought. “Ugh, it hasn’t happened yet.” What a strange thing for him to ask about. 

“And why is that?” Wooyoung emphasized the ‘why’ as he looked San up and down. 

San managed a breathy chuckle as he spoke. “No, no, no. I told you something, now tell me what Flower means.” 

“Flower is the name of Bambi’s best friend. He’s a skunk.” 

“Ah, I’m a skunk.” San turned to face the railing. He propped his elbows on the railing as he gazed out into the setting sun. The rays of sunshine glinted off the reflection of the lake. Small ripples broke up the glass reflection as the giant squid broke the surface. 

“Oh don’t get yourself all worked up.” Wooyoung still stared at San. 

“I’m not. But the skunk jokes got old months ago.” 

“Your hair hasn’t always been like that?” His voice changed, the tension relieved as Wooyoung’s voice changed. 

“No.” San swallowed the lump that was rising in his throat. “There was an accident two years ago. My family was being chased by Acheron Mortem.” 

The name rings in Wooyoung’s ears and he shakes his head, trying to get clearer thoughts. Acheron Mortem was a terrible, terrible wizard. He called himself the next Voldemort. He had been gaining power for years but it wasn’t until right after the last World Cup that he gained a lot of followers. It was said that he had a weapon, that’s why people flocked to him. He had a weapon far more powerful than the elder wand or Horcruxes even. No one knew what it was, it was a secret. But Mortem had said that the time was coming for the weapon to reign destruction on the earth. 

For the first time, San could feel himself continuing to talk, to say something about what happened. “We went into protective custody. It took him two years to find us.” 

Wooyoung nodded, this must be why San wanted to go into the Protection Sector. 

“You want to be an Auror but you suck at Defensive spells.” he said matter-of-factly. 

“You don’t need to remind me.” San thought back to their first class. They had started learning patronus’ and San was the only one who was still unable to produce even a whisp after the first week. Wooyoung of course already knew how to create a full corporeal patronus before entering the class. 

Wooyoung had been terribly mean to him, Sneering at his attempts and then showing off by having his patronus, a large panther, barrell him down as all the other slytherin’s laughed. 

“I wasn’t trying to remind you.” He paused to take a deep breath. “I was offering to tutor you.” He pushed off the railing and started to walk back to where Seonghwa and Yeosang were talking. 

San turned on his heel and spoke up to Wooyoung’s back. “Why?” Shock ran through him. 

“Do you want my help or not? Don’t question it or I might change my mind. Meet me outside the DADA room tomorrow evening.” Wooyoung called. He stumbled as he tried to turn around and walk backwards. 

Yeosang stood and grabbed Wooyoung’s shoulder. “Night guys.” The two of them started down the stairs and into the hall. 

The world was darkening as the sun fell completely below the horizon.

“It’s time we all headed back to our dorms.” said Hongjoong. 

With a quick wave of his wand, Seonghwa made all the garbage and leftovers jump into a bag and leap into his hand. 

“Congrats again on making the team.” Yunho grasped San’s shoulders as they started down stairs. 

Jongho walked at San’s other side, “You’ve gotta give me some lessons man.” 

The group walked through the halls and laughed.

In a small moment, San let a small thought drift into his head. This year might not be as terrible as he thought. He smiled and let Hongjoong pull him through the halls toward Gryffindor tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be doing some fanart for this fic, mostly just sketches and such. but I'm releasing them on my twitter @ellabobella


	5. Dementors and Dark Arts

San laid down in the long grass near the edge of the lake. Mingi and Yunho sat next to him talking about their new divination teacher now that Trealawny had finally retired. He stretched out his legs and propped his hands behind his head as he basked in the sun's rays. A soft breeze floated over the lake and wafted over the group as San continued to listen to Mingi talk to Yunho. A small stick-like creature was crawling deftly over Mingi’s hands. 

Yunho made a face as he talked, “Yeah so far I am not liking this new teacher more than Trealawny.” 

“True Divination is just such a hard subject. You have to already possess some sort of inherent ability before you even step into the class to be any good. It's not something you can learn, which sucks.” Mingi was reaching up his sleeve for the small stick creature. His bright orange hair falling into his face. 

“Why are you still taking the class then?” Yunho laughed and smiled over at Mingi. 

“Well I couldn’t just let you take it by yourself,” said Mingi matter-of-factly. His eyes stared back at Yunho even after he had looked away. The shadow of a smile still on his lips. 

San told himself to ask Mingi about his feelings for Yunho later. For now, he let their conversations fade in and out of his ears as he started to fall into unconsciousness. 

A sharp CRACK! Pulled San from the edge of his dreams. 

He sat up startled and his hand clutched at his wand as he looked around for the source of the noise.

“Whoa. It was just the Weeping Willow. Someone walked too close and it cracked its branches.” Yunho chuckled as he reached out a hand to steady San. The sun was lowering over the lake, casting light back up. “We were just about to wake you anyways. It’s time to head in for Dinner.” 

“Hey San, aren’t you supposed to be meeting with Wooyoung right now?” Mingi looked back up at the school. 

“I don’t think I’m going to go.” San spoke as he stood and grabbed his cloak that he had discarded before his nap. 

Yunho grabbed San’s arm. “Yeah well I wouldn’t be so quick to turn him down, I mean you’ve never seen the guy duel. He could teach Defense Against the Dark Arts if he wanted to. At least go tonight.” 

“But what if this is all just some big elaborate prank? I mean really, who gets tipsy off of two glasses of Butterbeer?” San pulled his hands through his hair. 

“That's actually pretty normal for Wooyoung.” Mingi chuckled, a little distracted trying to keep the little stick from escaping his hands and crawling back into his sleeve. “It’s like he said, he’s a lightweight.” 

In his mind, San was still doubtful of Wooyoung’s intentions. But Yunho was right, he would go tonight and then see what happened. 

San started up the stairs with a sigh, headed to the DADA classroom. When he arrived Wooyoung was standing with his arms crossed in the doorway. He stepped back and into the classroom when he saw San approaching. 

“Hey Flower, I almost didn’t think you were going to show.” Wooyoung walked over to a chest that sat in the middle of the classroom. All the chairs and desks were pushed against the walls. He sat down on the chest, his eyes watching San. “You ready?”

“I still don’t understand, why are you helping me?” In his mind all he could do was wonder, but still he pulled out his wand and clutched it in his hand. It was twelve inches, Phoenix feather core, Red Oak and reasonably springy. 

“It physically hurts me to watch you struggle. It’s pathetic.” Gone is the Wooyoung from the day before, he’s back to making mean quips at San’s expense just as he had been all week. “I’m offering to help and you’re not exactly in a good position to refuse.” 

“Fine.” 

Standing up, Wooyoung reached out his hand to grasp the clasp in front of the chest. “Inside the chest is a boggart that will transform into what looks like a Dementor but it’s not real. Stand in front of the chest and get out your wand, prepare yourself.”

“Wait- aren’t you going to help me?” San tried to force the panic from his voice but it felt too much like Wooyoung was pulling a prank on him. 

By the time he spoke Wooyoung was already opening the chest and a large dementor was sweeping across the floor towards San. 

San felt himself freeze up as the Dementor rose in front of him and it's dark sad pull started to suck at him. In his head his mother shouted for him to run, go, get away. But he’s frozen still, just as he was on that day. He closed his eyes and remembered the bolts of light that shot past him, through the heavy mist that surrounded their group. People around him fell to the ground, never to rise again. 

His knees crumbled underneath him, eyes wide as he took in the horrors around him. Over his head, lights shoot back and forth into the mist. Someone’s hand was on his shoulder, pulling him to his feet, but when he looked there is no one there. 

San opened his eyes and saw Wooyoung standing over him. “You okay?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” San grunted as he rose from his knees. Sweat was making his shirt cling to his back as he gripped his wand tighter. His breath was coming out in short gasps as adrenaline coursed through his veins.

“It’s common for people who have experienced trauma to relive their traumas when faced with a Dementor.” Wooyoung’s voice was just a whisper as he stood next to San. 

San refused to look at him.”What happened to the boggart?” His eyes stared forward at the chest, hating it. Hating everything that it was, hated what it did to him. He swallowed, trying to calm his racing heart. 

“I put it back in the box for now,” said Wooyoung softly. He turned to step away from San. 

“What was that supposed to achieve?” San’s voice was rising. His confusion and dread pulled to the surface. “How was that you helping me?” 

“I wanted to see your skill level under pressure.” Wooyoung spoke simply as if it was the easiest explanation. 

“And how’d that work out?” San was yelling but he couldn’t stop himself. He knew coming here was going to be a mistake. His heart was still pounding hard in his chest. 

“Well now I know you suck as much as I thought you did.” Wooyoung shrugged and gave San a half smile. 

San was trying to take long deep breaths. “You know, you’re a lot nicer when you’re drunk.”

“Yeah well when you’re able to fend off Dementors you’ll be thanking me.” He was walking back over to the chest and grabbed one of the chairs nearby to swing it in front of the chest and then sat down on the lid. He gestured for San to sit down in the chair. 

“If you don’t kill me first.” San muttered but he still walked over to the chair and sat down. He was calming down and his breathing was coming easier. He was still unsure of Wooyoung’s intentions but he was still convinced that he should see the whole thing through and maybe there would be a method to the madness. 

“What do you think of when you’re casting your patronus?” asked Wooyoung.

“I don’t know, uh making the spell work I guess.” San shrugged and toyed with his wand between his hands. His eyes unable to look up at Wooyoung. 

Wooyoung seemed to pause and his hand started to rub at his chin as he thought. “Alright, first off. Forget everything you learned in class, that might work for most people but obviously not for you.”

“Okay so what are we going to do?” San asked skeptically.

“Who do you love?”

Wooyoung’s question threw San off his guard. He paused for a moment before responding. “What is it with you and intrusive questions?”

“I'm not asking for me, it's for your patronus.” Wooyoung rolled his eyes as he continued to look at San, waiting for an answer.

After a heavy pause, San swallowed and answered. “My brother.” 

“I want you to think of the happiest memory you have of him.” Wooyoung clasped his hands together. “Can you think of one?” 

“Yeah I think so.” said San, a smile rising to his lips. 

“Okay, lets try again.” He pauses as he sees San’s face drop at his words of trying again. “Don’t look at me like that. I want you to keep imagining that memory of your brother, okay? And let that memory fill you as you cast the spell.” Wooyoung stood and motioned for San to stand in front of the chest. 

San switched his wand and wiped his palm against his jeans. 

“You can do it. Just keep imagining your memory of your brother.” Wooyoung told San firmly. 

For a moment his words took San aback. He didn’t think that he had ever heard words of encouragement come from Wooyoung. 

But he concentrated on his memory, gripping his wand ever tighter as he lifted it up and aimed at the chest. He watched as the lid opened and the air around him dropped, the dementor glided towards him. 

“Expecto Patronum.” He said firmly, but when nothing happened he said it again more firmly. His memory of his brother playing over and over in his head. “Expecto Patronum!” A white vapor erupted from his wand and started to form a small shield shape before it evaporated. 

Wooyoung had come to stand next to San and stepped in front of the dementor, wand raised. The Dementor stopped its advances as it sized up Wooyoung. Then the dementor shuddered and changed. It changed into a group of people. All of them other slytherins. They were all laughing at him and whispering to each other. “Riddikulus.” Wooyoung spoke with finality and all the people appeared in their underwear before a loud pop and a wizz as the boggart returned to its chest and the lid banged shut. 

“Flower,” He turned back to San with a small smile. “You did it!” 

“I did it.” San said with a realization. “I did it!” He jumped forward and threw his arms around Wooyoung as he jumped again. After a moment San pulled away and smoothed his shirt, a smile still wide across his face. His eyes glanced around the room before looking at Wooyoung finally. His cheeks were a rosey pink as he pulled his hand through his hair. 

“Want to try again?” 

“Yes!” 

*** 

An hour later, San was helping Wooyoung put everything in the classroom back where it belonged. He had successfully pushed the dementor back into the chest using the shield but was still unable to create a fully corporeal patronus. 

“You know, I did think that this whole inviting me here and teaching me things was going to be a big prank but I am pleasantly surprised.” 

Wooyoung gave a hmph as he pushed a desk back to it’s spot. 

“Can I ask you a question, Flower?” Wooyoung asked. 

“Sure.” They stood there and stared at one another. 

“What memory did you think of to call off the Dementor?”

“Ah, yes another intrusive question. I should have expected it.” San paused as he gathered himself to talk about it. Even with his joking, he was glad Wooyoung hadn’t asked about his triggered memory from the Dementor. He started, “When I was thirteen years old and my brother was eight we were in hiding from Mortem still. My brother had gotten a hold of my mother’s wand.” San started to laugh as he told the story. “He was poking flowers in the garden with it, and the flowers were turning into large spoons. I don’t know why. But when my mom found out we ran as fast as we could away from there.” He’s laughing now. “And from that day on the spoons stayed in our yard.” 

San looked over to see Wooyoung smiling back at him. “And yeah, that’s the memory.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal and cleared his throat before speaking again. “Now, can I ask you a question?” 

“Why not.” Wooyoung opened the door and gestured for San to go out. 

They started to walk down the halls which were mostly empty. 

“Your boggart-” 

San was stopped from speaking further as Wooyoung reached out and pushed him against the wall. His face pressed up close to San’s as he spoke. “Never. Mention that ever again.” Wooyoung’s fists were bunched up in San’s sweater. “Do you understand me?” 

Shocked, San held his hands up at his sides. “Yeah, sorry.” 

“I’ll see you Tuesday evening.” He let go of San’s sweater and turned to walk down the hall. His hands running through his hair as he went.

San just stood there, his mind blank as he watched Wooyoung walk down the hall and around the corner. Finally his senses came back to him and he started to walk. He still wasn’t sure he trusted Wooyoung but he couldn’t lie, Wooyoung was amazing at Defensive spells. “Wait, shit, I think I have quidditch practice on Tuesday.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you can successfully guess what Wooyoung's boggart means I will give you a commission fan art piece of your choice! All the clues are there for you!


	6. Swooping Evil

As San walked to Double Potions he thought again about the night before and tried to solve the mystery of Wooyoung’s boggart. Of course everyone’s afraid of being laughed at but to have it be the thing that he feared most. It didn’t fit his personality. There had to be something more about it. 

He walked into the classroom and spotted Wooyoung sitting next to Yeosang near the back. Several other slytherin’s were gathered around them as they laughed and talked. He pulled his bookbag further on his shoulder and grabbed the empty seat next to Wooyoung. 

They all turned to stare at San, several sporting disgusted looks as he sat down. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Wooyoung asked, the same disgust in his eyes as the other slytherins. 

“I’m sitting.” San glanced over at Yeosang who was avoiding eye contact as he analyzed the tip of his quill, before he looked back at Wooyoung. “Can I not sit here?”

“No.” Wooyoung’s voice has an edge of finality. “Why don’t you go sit at the front of the class with the other cats.” All of the Slytherin’s snickered. 

San had learned over the past week that ‘cats’ was a derogatory term that Slytherins used for Gryffindors because their mascot was a Lion. “I’m fine where I’m at, thanks.” 

“Flower, Your Gryffindor stench is unbearable. Move before I make you.” 

Affronted at Wooyoung’s coldness, San gathered his things, stood and sat down next to a small ravenclaw girl with dark curly hair. 

San could still hear Wooyoung talking to the other slytherins as he pulled out his quill and parchment. 

“No, He’s just some pathetic Gryffindor that begged me for help in DADA...” More students walked in and Wooyoung’s words were lost amongst the crowd. 

Begged? San could feel his blood boil as he sat, refusing to turn around. He would never beg for anything, much less Wooyoung’s help. His fists clenched tightly in his irritation. 

Professor Boffin walked in and started to write their ingredients for the day. San was forced to stop thinking about Wooyoung and focus on class. 

The rest of the day San tried to concentrate on his classes. In herbology, Yunho could tell something was bothering San but he refused to talk about it. He had been foolish to believe that Wooyoung was anything other than a Slytherin prick. 

Finally after dinner, San was walking up to Gryffindor tower when he spotted Wooyoung heading towards him. They passed without speaking and were almost out of earshot when San turned around and called down the hall, “Hey! Asshat!” 

Wooyoung turned back to look at him over his shoulder before starting back down the hall. 

San ran back until he was in front of Wooyoung and thrust his arm out in front of Wooyoung’s way, halting both of them in their tracks. “Are you mad because I asked about the boggart?” 

“I told you not to mention that.” Wooyoung hissed through his teeth. He looked away from San, checking that the hallway was deserted before turning back, chewing on his bottom lip. 

Finally, it dawned on San. He kicked himself for not realizing earlier. It had all been a prank, being nice, tutoring him in DADA, and now Wooyoung was done. 

“I’ve been trying to talk to you all day because I wanted to let you know that I can’t do practice tomorrow night because I have quidditch but I don’t think you were actually planning on having another practice.” Words spilled from San’s mouth. “I knew something was off, Why would you want to tutor me? And yet I gave you the benefit of the doubt. You must think I’m so stupid for believing you. Hell, I think I’m stupid for believing you.” San threw his arms up in the air. 

“No, That’s not it.” Wooyoung’s expression changed slightly from it’s deep frown. He pulled one hand through his dark, messy hair. 

“Then why the hell would you offer to help me and then the next day go all icey cold on me?” San paused, and suddenly he realized he didn’t care what Wooyoung had to say. He wasn’t going to let Wooyoung trick him again. “Nevermind.” 

San pushed past Wooyoung and headed back towards Gryffindor tower. 

Behind him, Wooyoung stood in the hall, his hands still pulling back his hair as both of his hands clasped behind his head. Half of him contemplated going after San and explaining, but instead he turned and walked in the other direction. 

*** 

San grabbed his broom from his chest at the end of his bed and threw it over his shoulder. 

“Are you going to practice?” asked Hongjoong from his bed, throwing a small ball up in the air over and over. 

“Yeah,” San muttered, pausing on his way out. “Emmett is getting stressed, our first game is next week and one of our chasers has been in detention for the past week.” 

Hongjoong nodded, the last thing San saw as he left the room and started down the winding stairway into the common room. 

It had been two weeks since San had spoken to Wooyoung. Wooyoung had tried to speak to him but every time San had turned away, unwilling to listen to what he assumed was more lies. 

Without Wooyoung’s help he was falling behind miserably in Defense Against the Dark Arts now that they had moved on from Patronus’. He was drowning in homework from all of his other classes. The only class he was actually doing well in was Transfiguration. It was as if his wand was unwilling to obey him. Rather it did something else. 

San passed by groups of people as he made his way down to the quidditch field. On his way, he could see Mingi’s orange hair streak past as he ran towards the forbidden forest. A moment later San watched as Seonghwa ran after him, his face filled with panic as he pulled out his wand and clutched it in his hand.

Something was happening and San stood there, torn between quidditch practice and his friends. 

“Flower!” A familiar voice called from behind him. 

San groaned as he recognized his nickname, he turned to see Wooyoung a couple paces behind him. He swung his leg over his broom and was about to kick off the ground when he felt a hand grab his sleeve.

“San, wait.” 

The use of his real name caused San to pause, his eyes looking down where his hands clutched his broom. “I need to go.”

“Just hear me out.” 

“I really don’t have the time right now, something is going on with Mingi.” San tried to shake Wooyoung’s hand off his arm. 

“Let me come with you.” There was a passionate determination in his eyes. 

San wanted to continue arguing but something told him that there wasn’t time. “Okay, hop on.” 

Wooyoung stood behind San and swung his leg over, his arms wrapping around San as he kicked off, flying towards where he saw Mingi and Seonghwa run. As he neared the forbidden forest he circled around the edge before landing. He spotted a ripped piece of black fabric clinging to a branch. 

San took a deep breath before setting his broom against a tree and following into the darkness of the forbidden forest. 

“Where are we going?” Wooyoung spoke as he too entered the forest. 

“I saw Mingi and Seonghwa coming this way.” San pulled out his wand and muttered, “Lumos.” The tip of his wand lit up and lighted the forest around him. 

“Lumos,” Wooyoung muttered behind him. 

They traveled in silence for only a moment before a shout rang through the forest. Both San and Wooyoung took off towards the shout, not caring the noise they made as they ran through the forest. 

Another shout, this time Seonghwa’s name, helped San and Wooyoung locate where the shouts were coming from. They ran into a clearing where Seonghwa was clutching at his right arm which had blood trickling between his fingers. The edges of a horrible gash opened on either side of his hand. 

Mingi was crouching, hands stretched out flat in front of a large green bird with leathery feathered wings, it had two teeth hooking up past it’s beak. The bird used the hooks on its wings to pace back and forth. The underside of its wings shone bright blue in the light of San’s wand. 

Immediately, San trained his wand on the creature. 

“Stop!” Mingi shouted. “It’s okay, I can handle it.” 

Seonghwa spoke, gasping through the pain as he continued to clutch his arm. “You can’t tame it Mingi. Stop trying.” 

“You just scared it that’s all, it doesn’t know you.” 

“What is it?” Wooyoung finally spoke up as he stepped next to San, his wand also trained on the strange bird. 

“That,” Seonghwa panted. “Is a Swooping Evil.” 

San took a step closer to Mingi and the animal gave a screech as it bared its fangs to San. He remembered their lessons in Care of Magical creatures, they had studied Swooping Evil but Hagrid had said they ‘ ‘re mighty hard to train and too risky to study up close, on account o’ their diet’. “Don’t Swooping Evil’s feed on human brains?” 

“Yes, but they are also very passive creatures, and they only strike when provoked.” Mingi reasoned as he crept in his crouch toward the agitated animal.

“That one looks very provoked.” San whispered. He glanced back at Seonghwa who was sitting down on a large root, his face paleing as his head lolled back to rest on the trunk of the tree. “Seonghwa, are you good?” His mind remembered something else Hagrid had told them, ‘It’s venom is highly potent and can erase memories when diluted but is lethal when not’. “Were you scratched or bitten?”

“Scratched,” Seonghwa managed to pant. His eyes closed as he spoke. 

So he wasn’t poisoned, but with how much blood was trailing down his arm, he was at risk of dying of blood loss if they didn’t get out of there fast.

“Wooyoung, go help Seonghwa.”

“Are you kidding me? How are you going to fight this creature? You can barely do a shield charm.” Wooyoung stepped in front of San and nodded his head back to Seonghwa. 

San lowered his wand and stepped back several paces before he turned to Seonghwa and crouched to look at the long, deep gash across the inside of his forearm. 

Mingi was still trying to sooth the Swooping Evil as Wooyoung creeped towards him. In one motion, Wooyoung grasped his arm around Mingi and pulled him back, behind him. At the same time he shot out a spell at the Swooping Evil, shouting, “Stupify!” The creature screeched and fell, recoiling on its back. 

Almost in slow motion, San watched as the creature got up just as fast and clawed at the ground as it raced towards where Wooyoung was pushing Mingi away from the animal. His back was turned and he hadn’t realized that his spell had only pushed the creature back and not knocked it out. 

San stood and ran forward. He raised his arms trying to shield his friends as he let out a desperate shout, his wand stretched out in front of him. No spell came to his mind but the air in front of San reverberated from him and shook as the creature flew back into a tree, it rolled down unconscious. 

The edges of San’s vision started to fade to black, his knees collapsed before arms circled around him and he lost consciousness.


	7. The Hospital Wing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late and short, Corona got me moving back home

The voices of Professor Mcgonagall and Professor Longbottom talking at the end of his bed made their way to San's ears. Their voices carried to him faintly as his brain fought for consciousness.

“We never did anything this stupid.” 

“Yes Professor Longbottom, sneaking into a secret section of the Ministry of Magic wasn’t nearly as stupid as this,” came Mcgonagall’s sarcastic response. 

“Okay well we were fighting Lord Voldemort.” 

“And San was trying to protect his friends, something I thought you would understand.” Mcgonagall reasoned. Her eyes looked over to where San was lying on the bed watching them through heavy lids. “Glad to see you awake Mr.Choi.”

“Where’s Seonghwa?” San whispered. His hand reaching up to rub his eyes. 

“Mr.Han is sleeping in the bed next to you.” Professor Mcgonagall crossed her hands in front of her and Professor Longbottom came to sit at the end of the bed. “Now that we know you’re okay, I will leave your Head of House to speak to you.”

They both watched as Mcgonagall’s robes swooshed around the floor as she strode out of the Hospital Wing. 

Once she had closed the door to the wing Professor Longbottom turned back to San, “Tell me what happened.”

With a swallow San recounted what happened. Once he was done, Professor Longbottom nodded and leaned back, his hands clasped around his knee. 

“But right before I passed out,” San continued. “Professor. It was odd. I didn’t cast a spell, it was as if my wand took my energy and cast the spell for me. Do you know what happened?” San stared at Professor Longbottom and he looked up with a furrowed brow contemplating what San had just told him. 

“I am not sure why that happened, or why it caused you to lose consciousness, but I will look into it. On the other hand, you all have detention. What you did, even with courageous intentions, was beyond stupid.” 

San nodded as he pursed his lips, admitting that was fair punishment. 

“Well, it’s late and I need to sleep. Goodnight Mr. Choi. I will get back to you about what happened with your wand in the morning after I discuss it with an old friend.” Professor Longbottom smiled and stood, his hands shoving in his slacks pockets as he sauntered out the door. 

San rested his head back on the pillows, the folds of unconsciousness easily wrapping around him once more. 

***

San scrunched his eyes together, not ready to wake up just yet.

When he opened his eyes, the glare of light from the windows up high momentarily blinded him. He blinked suddenly and his eyes adjusted to the room around him. There were curtains partitioning the beds that he hadn't noticed the night before, and sitting at the end of his bed was Wooyoung. 

“Hey,” he muttered softly. His eyes fluttered over San. 

“Hey yourself.” San pushed himself up onto his elbows. “What are you doing here?” He groaned as his head spun and he let himself fall back onto his pillows. 

“Careful. Do you want me to get Madam Pomfrey?” Wooyoung still sat on the bed but his eyes were wide, one hand stretched out as if to catch San.

“No. Why are you here?” San asked more firmly. He lifted himself up again and this time the world stayed on its axis.

Wooyoung smiled as he pulled back his hand and lifted it to comb through his hair, moving out of his face. “I’m not sure.” He let out a small chuckle, as if he was laughing at some inside joke, his eyes glanced up to meet San’s. 

“Well maybe you should leave.” 

“Flower- San.” Wooyoung corrected himself, the two still locked eyes. “I want to-” he struggled to get the words he wanted out. 

“Listen, my brain is banging around in my skull.” San interrupted. “If you’re going to give me some stupid excuse I really don’t need to hear it.” Two could play the cold shoulder game.

The curtain flew back suddenly and Mingi and Jongho stood in the way. “San! You’re awake!” Mingi exclaimed. “I’m so sorry!” He ran to sit in the chair next to San. 

“It’s fine, I'm fine. Care to tell me why you were trying to tame a swooping evil?” San laughed as he sat up fully and pushed back so his back was against the backboard bars of the bed. The pounding in his head momentarily forgotten. He refused to look at Wooyoung as he crossed his legs and patted the cover for Jongho to sit on. 

“Well, it started with Hagrid mentioning that there are at least three wild swooping evils in the forest, he leaves food out for them. And I couldn’t resist seeing one in person. I mean come on, when would I ever get that chance again.”

Suddenly the curtain behind Mingi shifted as Seonghwa poked his head around it. “Please stop sounding so excited, we all could have died.” He pushed the curtain back and sat on his bed as he looked meaningfully at Mingi. 

“Sorry,” Mingi shrugged before continuing on. “Anyways I know that Swooping Evils are most active in the evening and I wriggled out of Hagrid where he leaves the food. So I was just watching the sky to see if I could see one floating above the forest when Seonghwa found me. He tried to convince me not to keep looking when what do you know, one appeared right in front of us. So we started running to the forest.” 

“He was running, I was chasing.” Seonghwa interrupted. The room filled with small chuckles that died as Mingi continued.

“Anyways it landed right in front of us.” Mingi was gesturing with his arms. “It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. But it lashed and we both had to take a step back. Then it came at us again and Seonghwa stepped forward. It got him in the arm with its talon.”

“And what happened after I- after I passed out?” Asked San. 

“Well the Swooping Evil was knocked out. Wooyoung carried you and I helped Seonghwa back to the castle and that's where we ran into Professor Longbottom. They took you up to the hospital wing and then Professor Mcgonagall came and she was not happy.” 

“We all have detention because according to Mcgonagall we were all ‘extremely dimwitted to put it nicely’.” Mingi smiled. 

“Are you all okay?” San asked, he looked at everyone for injuries. 

Seonghwa held up his arm for San to see, “Not even a scar.”

As San smiled and looked around at the guys surrounding him, his eyes once more found Wooyoung. He sat behind the group and said nothing as they continued to talk. But he looked almost happy, his eyes were open and curious as they watched San, and for a moment San wondered if he had been too quick to judge Wooyoung. He had helped. San was brought back to their conversation right before they had taken off on the broom. Wooyoung hadn’t been mean then, he had seemed as he did now. And he kept trying to tell San something, but what?


	8. Detention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> Sorry for taking a week off, life’s been crazy and I didn’t want to put out something just thrown together. Instead you get a nice full chapter <3 
> 
> P.S. release dates will now be on Wednesdays, it works better with my schedule

San rubbed his neck as he thought about all the homework he wasn’t able to do tonight because of his detention and to add to it he was missing Quidditch practice, again. 

“Cheer up, we’re polishing armor today and Filch usually falls asleep about an hour in. So after that we can chill and do whatever and just wake him up when detention is over.” Mingi laughed and shrugged. 

They were walking from dinner up to the left wing near the charms classroom. Early that day they had all gotten notes from their heads of houses telling them where and what they were doing for detention.

As San and Mingi stood outside of the classroom, Seonghwa and then a hufflepuff San didn’t know with bright blue hair walked down the hall and joined them. 

“Teddy! Dude!” Mingi shouted, his hand reaching out to pound Teddy’s outstretched one. “What got you into detention this time?” 

“I was caught sneaking out after hours with my girlfriend.” Teddy chuckled. 

“Why isn’t she here?”

“Professor Grynolve said that it wouldn’t be punishment if we were together. So Victoria is with Grynolve doing lines. While I get to clean armor with you lot.” 

“We’re not that bad. I mean Seonghwa you gotta watch out for, he can be wild but San is chill.” They all chuckled as Seonghwa rolled his eyes and shrugged. 

Teddy’s attention was directed at San now. “I don’t think we’ve met. Teddy Lupin, seventh year.” 

“Choi San, sixth year.”

San could see Wooyoung walking down the hall over Teddy’s shoulder. His black hair was parted in the center and curled around his forehead. His eyes, the eyes that San never seemed able to escape, were looking downward but he glanced up and stared at San. 

Behind Wooyoung, Filch limped down the hall, Mrs. Norris padded behind him. The two were quite the pair, both looked like they had lived well past their years. Filch’s long hair was sparse and thin and Mrs. Norris’ fur was much the same. Patches were thinning across her back and her face looked wrinkly and heavy. In Filch’s hands were several buckets of soapy water that sloshed over the edges as he swung them at his sides. 

“C’mon,” Filch snarled as he limped past them. “Follow me.” 

San looked over at Mingi and they all followed after Filch down the hall and around a corner. 

Filch dropped one of the buckets and motioned for some of them to stop here and start washing the armor before he moved on and placed the other bucket further down the way. 

Mingi and San immediately stopped and crouched by the first bucket. The rest of the group went to the other bucket and pulled out several rags. 

At first everyone worked in silence, every once in a while they would look back at Filch who was slowly nodding off to sleep. His head bobbing as he would start awake and then nod off again. 

Mingi finally whispered to San, “Did I tell you about what happened when Hongjoong found me?”

“No, but I’m sure he gave you a good beating.” San laughed as he scrubbed at a breastplate. 

“You would be right. I thought he was gonna chop my arm off. He was all ‘of all the dumbass things’.”

“What did Yunho say?” 

“Yunho, well…” Mingi trailed off as he shrugged and looked down at the armor he was cleaning.

“What’s wrong?” San paused, he could feel the weight of his silence. 

“He’s my best friend, I just would have thought that he would have been worried but he just pretended it didn’t happen.” Mingi stopped cleaning and looked out over San’s head. 

“Yeah.” San tried to lighten the mood. “At least you didn’t have both of them railing on you or you might have actually lost your arm.”

Mingi’s face brightened slightly. “You’re right. Honestly I was surprised that Seonghwa hadn’t given me a good beating yet.”

“Seonghwa will give you an earful instead.” They both laughed loudly at the thought of listening to another one of Seonghwa’s rants and glanced over to where Seonghwa,Teddy, and Wooyoung were cleaning. 

Wooyoung was looking at them over his shoulder, but quickly turned back to his work. Seonghwa was talking merrily with Teddy, they were both 7th years and had a lot of the same classes together. 

“Can you tell me more about Wooyoung?” San whispered, still staring over at where the other boy was working.

“I don’t really know much, he keeps to himself a lot. What do you want to know?”

San thought about mentioning the boggart but thought better of it and shook his head. “I just don’t understand why he does things.”

“Well one thing I do know about Wooyoung is he cares. He might not always show it the best way but he does. Last year, he convinced Yeosang to help everyone pass potions. But he teased us and called us names the entire time.”

There was a certain similarity in Mingi’s words. Was Wooyoung acting this way because he cared? 

There was a loud clatter as Wooyoung accidentally knocked over a bucket and Filch sputtered awake from his stool in the corner. He looked around with his beady eyes. Mingi and San stared back, having not been cleaning armor when he woke. 

“You there,” He pointed to Mingi. “Switch with that one,” Filch grumbled as he leaned back against the wall and watched Wooyoung stand and switch spots with Mingi. 

San picked up his rag and started cleaning again, his eyes on the armor as he sensed Wooyoung sit down next to him.

They all worked in silence again, waiting for Filch to nod back off to sleep. 

San turned his thoughts back to that morning when he had been called into Professor Longbottom’s office after class. 

“Yes Professor?” San asked as he stepped into the office behind the Greenhouses. 

Professor Longbottom leaned against his desk and crossed his legs in front as well as his arms. His brown hair parted and unruly. “I asked my friend about your wand, and he is by no means a wand expert, but he is quite knowledgeable. He said we all have magic within us and before we get our wands, that magic is untamed and our wands allow an outlet for the magic within us. Without our wands the magic becomes dark and untameable.” He paused and looked San directly in the eye. “Certain wands match well with certain wizards who are more powerful in their magic.”

“Phoenix cores,” San whispered. 

“Yes, Phoenix cores.” Professor Longbottom nodded. “These wands can sometimes act out, which is why they choose more powerful wizards. This is what he thinks happened to you. Your wand knew what needed to happen and in a surge of pure undirected magic it used it to knock back the Swooping Evil, but it was too much for your body to handle all at once and so you collapsed.”

San’s hand had reached up to grasp the strap of his bookbag. More questions swirling through his mind. “Professor, is your friend that you talked to, is he the Auror Harry Potter?”

“Yeah, that's the friend. It’s funny, for most of my life everyone knew him as the boy who lived. But we are entering a new generation, one who never lived when Lord Voldemort was at large.”

“His wand is phoenix core too.” San spoke under his breath, to himself. 

“What was that?” Professor Longbottom asked.

“Oh nothing Professor.” 

“If you have any more questions I can relay them along. But for now I think you need to head to your next class.” Professor Longbottom stood and walked around to sit at his desk. He looked at San with a soft smile before turning to several pieces of parchment sitting on his desk ready to be graded. 

When San’s mind came back to the present, he was staring at a shiny silver piece of armor. He could faintly hear Filch’s soft snores from behind him.

“You good Flower?” Wooyoung asked from beside him.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” San mumbled. He started to polish the same shiney spot again. 

“I,” Wooyoung glanced behind him to make sure that Filch was still sleeping. “I want to apologize for how I acted.” He didn’t need to say what he was talking about, they both knew. 

“Why?” San asked.

“Why do I want to apologize?”

“No, Why’d you do it in the first place?” San turned to look at Wooyoung. He wanted Wooyoung to explain everything. 

“I can’t say. But I can say that I’d like to keep tutoring you in Defense Against the Dark Arts. You’re failing dismally again.”

San couldn’t deny that. He wasn’t sure how his wand had helped him perform such a large feat of magic when he failed the simplest Defensive Spell. He also didn’t know if he could trust Wooyoung again, despite what Mingi had told him about Wooyoung. 

A long pause followed as they both worked on the armor. San thought about Wooyoung’s words and his actions. Couldn’t all that he had done be because he cared and just went about it the wrong way just as Mingi had said? He had volunteered to help San and maybe there was more too how he acted, more that he couldn’t tell San. 

Impulsively San spoke aloud. “Okay. We can meet Wednesday for some practice.” He wasn’t sure if he trusted Wooyoung but he knew he needed help in Defense against the Dark Arts and Wooyoung was the only one offering to help.

Wooyoung gave a half smile back at him, and they both continued to polish the armor.


	9. Accident and Injury

San sat at the Gryffindor table and picked at the scrambled eggs on his plate. Nervousness swept up and down his body and the itchiness of his Quidditch sweater wasn’t helping matters either. 

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and looked up to see Yunho smiling down at him. “San San, Nervous for your first match today?” 

“Nah,” San bluffed. “I’ve never been so calm.” 

“You’re not fooling anyone,” said Mingi as he joined them standing beside Yunho. “You look paler than a vampire.”

“Yeah well I heard Vampires are really good at quidditch so I’d say that’s a good thing, wouldn’t you?” retorted San with a smile up at Mingi. He glanced between Yunho and Mingi to see neither was looking at the other. 

“Well,” Yunho patted San’s shoulder again. “Just be grateful that you’re not against Hufflepuff, we would cream you.”

“Oh you wish.” Hongjoong spoke up in disbelief from his spot next to San. 

“I gotta go, Good luck!” Yunho called as he walked away and caught the attention of another Hufflepuff. 

They all watched Yunho leave. San turned back to Mingi. “Is he still not speaking to you?” 

“Yeah. Good luck San. You’ll do great,” Mingi seemed distracted as he spoke, turned and walked off in the other direction.

San watched him leave and his eyes scanned the great hall, across the room he made eye contact with Wooyoung. They both smiled briefly at each other before San turned to his eggs. He poked his fork into the eggs and shoveled them into his mouth. 

His Friendship with Wooyoung was odd. Outside of their practices they didn’t really speak but during the hour or two every couple evenings they had grown closer and closer. 

***

“Alright team,” Emmett spoke out loud to the team in the Gryffindor locker room. “Today is our first match and the weather isn’t perfect, a little cloudy and windy. But that won’t stop us from a win today. Warren, Sackitt, and Bafort remember our formations we practiced. Choi,” Emmett called everyone by their last name. “Make sure you don’t catch the snitch right away, let us get well ahead first. Head off the Slytherin seeker if you need to.” He paused to look everyone in the eye. “Slytherin will play dirty, they always do, but we don’t need any extra penalties so don’t interact.” 

San grasped his broom tightly in his hand and stood up, ready to head out the flapping curtains onto the quidditch pitch. They all waited in their lineup until they heard the drum beats beckoning them out. 

Emmett had been right, the weather wasn’t perfect. In fact it was downright awful. The wind whipped at their robes and pulled at their brooms. The clouds overhead looked like they were about to rain any second. 

“This will be fun,” whispered Sean Blackburne from beside him, the other beater on the Gryffindor team. 

“Yeah, fun.” San chuckled sarcastically in response. Emmett was walking to the center of the pitch to shake hands with the Slytherin captain, a girl half Emmett’s size who looked as if she had a bad snaggletooth that gave her a permanent grimace.

They all heard the faint whistle of the referee and they all mounted their brooms waiting for the second whistle so they could kick off and begin the game. 

San could only thank Merlin that visibility was good, it was hard enough to see the snitch in good weather, in the rain it was almost impossible. 

They heard the whistle and all of them shot into the air, racing to positions or towards the balls that were suddenly flying through the air. 

A familiar voice was shouting out, voice blasting over the field. “And they’re off everyone, Gryffindor chaser Elizabeth Bafort has the quaffle and she’s racing towards the Slytherin goals, closely followed by Sytherin chasers John Philkes and Christopher Daane, she passes the quaffle to Alice Warren of Gryffindor and SHE SCORES!” 

San looked down at the stands and saw the bright blue hair of Teddy Lupin in the commentators box. He flew higher and kept his eye out for the snitch as well as the Slytherin Captain who was their seeker. 

Below him he could still hear Teddy’s loud voice over the speakers. “Philkes has the quaffle, and he dodges a bludger sent by Blackburne. He’s heading towards the Gryffindor goals and he shoots- He’s blocked by Gryffindor keeper Jeremy Hesler.” 

San watched as the quaffle was passed from person to person. Gryffindor scored twice more and above one of the Slytherin goalposts a glint of gold flitted around in the wind. 

With a burst of speed San was off, racing after the snitch, the Slytherin Seeker close behind him and gaining. The wind pushed San’s broom to the left as he strained forward after the snitch. He banked right hard. Jerking around faster than the Slytherin seeker who was left behind as he raced, urging his broom to fly faster, to fight against the wind. His hand reached out, grasping for the snitch just out of his grip.

He felt a sickening pop and pain exploded in his shoulder. He was almost knocked off his broom but he wrapped his other arm around and pulled his broom to a stop. The snitch was gone by now and pain was radiating up and down San’s right arm. 

From below San heard a whistle blow over Teddy’s commontation. The game stopped and San watched Emmett fly up to him.

“You good?” He asked. 

San grimaced as he tried to move his arm. It was slow and extremely painful but he managed to place it across his chest and clenched his fingers together. “Yeah I think my shoulder is dislocated but I can still play.” San paused and gasped from the pain, “What happened?” 

“Slytherin Beater slammed into you. He claims the wind knocked him into you but Hesler says he saw the beater ram into you.” Emmett glanced dubious at San’s arm. “Are you sure you can play?”

“Yeah, We can pop it back in after I catch the snitch.” San took a deep breath and tried to clench his robe in his fingers. He wanted to keep his arm as still as possible while he flew.

“Okay, careful Choi.” Emmet flew away, down to the Referee. Another whistle signaled the start of the game. 

San gripped his brom tightly in his left hand, the wind pulling at him and his robes. He glared in the wind, trying to look again for the small glint of the snitch. 

Teddy started his comontation again. “The game resumes! Daane with the quaffle, he ducks an impressive bludger hit by Ben Emmett. Daane passes the quaffle to Sam Kirke. Kirke shoots- And Slytherin scores!” There is a groan from the crowds. 

The game continued and San tried not to let the wind rock him. Gryffindor was ahead 60-20 when San spotted a flash of green racing across the sky. In front of the green blur was a tiny gold one. San pushed his broom forward to intercept. He was racing next to her as they both sped after the snitch. 

It only just occurred to San that he had no way to grab the snitch unless he reached out his dislocated arm. Gritting his teeth, San let go of his robes and slowly reached out his hand. His shoulder burned in pain and his whole body shook with the strain. 

He was neck and neck with the Slytherin seeker as they chased after the snitch. She sneered at him and shoved his stretched out shoulder. With a gasp, San pulled his arm back to him and lost his grip on his broom. He watched everything get smaller as he fell down, down, down.

San was expecting to crash into the ground but something slowed his descent and he landed softly onto the grass below. 

For a moment he just lay there. Dazed, staring up at the cloudy sky. He could see his teammates landing around him. They all crouched down and Alice reached out to touch San’s shoulder. 

“San, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” San sat up and shook his head. “Is the game over?” 

“Yeah, We lost. ”Alice replied.

“Damn it.” 

Several people were rushing towards them across the field. 

“It’s okay man. It wasn’t your fault. Asshat slytherins played dirty.” said Sean. “Emmett is trying to get the Ref to call a rematch. But it seems unlikely.” 

Pursing his lips together, San subconsciously closed his hand into a fist and then let out a hiss through his teeth as his muscles and joints complained. 

“Will someone pop my shoulder into its socket already?” San lashed out, upset at the loss and short from pain. 

“San! That was some wild flying!” Jonho and Yunho had arrived next to where San was sitting. 

“Thanks.” San scrunched up his face and clenched his teeth before he grasped his right arm in his left and bent it at a ninety degree angle before he shoved his arm back into his shoulder socket. A long groan escaped him, threatening to make him lose consciousness, but he sucked in a deep breath and then shuddered. The pain spiked before fading away. 

Several of his team members had gasped or looked away but now looked back at him in shock.  
Professor Grynolve arrived at them first, closely followed by Professor Longbottom and Professor Pucey. 

“Are you crazy?” Professor Grynolve asked him, her face full of shock.

“It had to go back in.” San said, he didn’t really care anymore. He was just glad the pain in his arm was now just a dull ache.

“Yeah but if you had waited I'm sure Madam Pomfrey could have done it. Painlessly. With magic!” She sputtered, still shocked. “I still must insist you go see her at once.”

“I’m fine now.” In the back of his head, San amended that he still hadn’t tried to use his arm but he wasn’t about to tell Professor Grynolve that and risk getting sent to the Hospital Wing for the rest of the day. 

A large crowd was gathered around him. He rolled onto his uninjured hand and knees before standing up and looking around for his broom. It had fallen 10 yards or so away from where he landed and lay forgotten in the grass. San took long strides to get to his broom. He reached down and swept it up before storming off the field back towards the castle. 

Several hours later San found himself sitting on the ledge of the astronomy tower. He let his feet dangle over the edge and leaned slightly on his uninjured side on one of the telescopes bolted to the ledge. He looked up at the still swirling clouds, the wind whipped at his cheeks and chapped his lips. 

The sun had just set and the sky was filled with a rosey purple that was quickly fading to blue. Behind San, the noise of someone walking up the astronomy steps startled him but he didn’t look behind him. 

The person walked up to the telescope and leaned against the wall. 

“It’s not really a good night for stargazing.” Wooyoung muttered. 

A snort escaped San as he finally looked down from the sky and turned to glance at Wooyoung. “How’d you find me?” he asked as he turned his face back upwards. A small drop of water hit his cheek. 

“If you get down I’ll tell you.” 

San had to resist rolling his eyes. “Nah, I don’t really need to know.” His eyes squinted as several more drops started to fall from the sky. 

He could feel a hand at his back clutch into his robes and hold before yanking backwards. San yelped as he fell into Wooyoung’s arms. His injured arm still clutched at his side. A dull ache that only increased slightly when it was pushed into Wooyoung’s chest. They both fell backwards and sprawled on the ground. San on top of Wooyoung. His arms were still wrapped around San, protecting him. 

“Ouch,” he mumbled as he tried to move off of Wooyoung. “What was that for?” 

“I.. I thought you might jump.” Wooyoung finally let go and as San moved off of him he sat up. They both sat on the stone floor, side by side. The rain was falling more steadily now. 

“Why’d you think that?” 

“You have a darkness in you. And I don’t mean evil. I mean there are times when you look like a ghost, like you might just be going through the motions but you're not really here. It’s dark. I saw it and you were hanging off the ledge so I pulled you back.” Wooyoung crossed his arms on top of his knees and looked at San.

“Oh.” The word came out of San’s mouth breathlessly. In a single moment everything made sense. Wooyoung did care, he cared so much he had noticed something about San that he barely knew himself. He had come to find San and then recklessly pulled him off the ledge when he feared San’s life was in danger. 

A slow smile spread across San’s face. “Oh.” he said again with more finality. His entire view of Wooyoung changed. 

“Oh? What does oh mean?” Wooyoung was smiling too now. Rain was dampening his already wet hair. 

San leaned back on his good hand and said, “Just oh.” He let the rain droplets fall onto his face. It was like a weight had been lifted once he had really seen Wooyoung. He knew that Wooyoung cared and maybe he felt the same.


	10. Brawl in the Great Hall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me but theres no Woosan in this chapter. Its finally some progress in Mingi and Yunhos story … sorry not sorry.

The large group of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs stared after San as he trudged off towards the quidditch tents. His arm was still clutched to his side and his head ducked down. 

Around the still crouching group, people headed their own way. All of the teachers talked amongst themselves and started to walk with the other students back to the school. 

“Someone should make sure he sees Madam Pomphry.” One of the gryffindors said.

“He’s fine,” another one answered. “Remember when Hesler got hit in the head with a bludger? And then he tried playing the rest of the game but Emmett made him sit out because he was seeing triple. He never did end up going to get checked out.” They all chuckled as Hesler shrugged and looked smug.

“Yeah but Slytherin can’t be allowed to do that in another game. You guys were lucky that San was the only one who really got hurt.” Yunho said as he looked around him. Jongho nodded next to him. 

“You won’t have to worry about that for a while. Isn’t Hufflepuff up against Ravenclaw next week?” 

“Yeah but we watched the ravenclaw tryouts.” Jongho shook his head. “It was not pretty.”

“It should be fairly easy to beat them next week.” Yunho smiled around him. The whole group stood and started to walk towards the grounds. As they walked, Yunho looked behind him and his eyes met Mingi’s. They stared at each other as Mingi talked with Hongjoong. 

Just before Yunho looked away, he saw Mingi start walking after them. 

Yunho sighed and looked forward again. 

His glance back did not go unnoticed. Jongho elbowed him softly, his eyes glancing between him and Mingi, as if asking a silent question. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Listen I don’t think you realize how awkward it is for everyone.” They were walking across the bridge now. “You need to talk about it.” 

Yunho thought about it. He and Mingi had been friends since their first day at Hogwarts. Both of them sat on the train together. All it took was a couple quick words and they were inseparable. All through their fifth year, they had never had an argument. They spent all of their days together, without a care. They never needed to talk over things like fights. Now that Yunho was so upset with Mingi, he didn’t know how to start.

Behind them Mingi was trying to catch up. He was desperate to fix things with Yunho, but as he walked forward a flash of fury he was unused to raced through Mingi. He was sick and tired of this silent treatment by his best friend. It had only been a week but the days stretched out longer than ever as he was forced to sit next to Yunho and have Yunho ignore him through all their classes. It was even worse in their dorms. Everyone in their dorm could feel the tension between them. All of their friends had asked Yunho about it but he refused to answer. Mingi’s fists clenched as he stomped after Yunho, determined to have Yunho talk to him one way or another. 

He didn’t catch up to them until they were just outside the great hall. Several students stood at the base of the staircase or milled around, talking to friends. 

“Yunho!” Mingi shouted as he got closer. Yunho barely turned his head before continuing walking. “Hey, I’m trying to talk to you!” Mingi grasped Yunho’s robes and pulled them back, forcing Yunho to turn and look at him. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Yunho shrugged his arm out of Mingi’s grip. His eyes were glaring back at Mingi. 

“Don’t play stupid.” Mingi said. Yunho was already walking away. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest, adrenaline was rushing through his arms and legs. He couldn’t place why he was suddenly so keyed up. 

“Oh go talk to Seonghwa. You two seem to be really close.” Yunho replied over his shoulder. He let a little of his anger show in his words.

“I don’t understand what Seonghwa has to do with this.” Mingi called at Yunho’s retreating back. 

Yunho continued walking. Beside him, Jongho’s face was full of apologies as he looked back to Mingi. 

Mingi walked determinedly after him and pushed him forward. “I’m trying to talk to you.” But when Yunho regained his balance he straightened and turned to walk away again. He wasn’t ready to talk to Mingi just yet.

Now Mingi did not recall wanting to punch Yunho, but he was already striding forward, fist flying towards Yunho’s face when his brain finally realized what he was doing.He pulled at Yunho’s robes and as his fist connected with Yunho’s face there was the satisfying crunch of his knuckles making contact with Yunho’s jaw. He watched as Yunho stumbled back and clutched at his face. 

Even as Jongho jumped in between them Yunho was reaching across the gap to grab a fist full of Mingi’s robes. He shoved Jongho away as he reared back his own fist and swung at Mingi. 

Mingi caught the blow on his cheek and then ducked close to uppercut into Yunho’s abdomen. With a gasp of air Yunho took several steps back and Mingi waited for him to recover. His hands already up and in front of his face, ready for the next blow. 

The great hall had filled up with people around them, swarming in a circle just watching. They both could hear Jongho shouting at them to stop but neither listened. Yunho rushed at him again, their hands both grabbed fist full of each other’s robes. Their faces just inches apart. Both of them were breathing heavily.

“It’s good to know how much of a prick you are.” Mingi glared at Yunho, the anger that fueled his punch was still causing the blood to boil in his limbs. 

Jongho also had a grip on both the boys. He tried desperately to get them apart. 

“What the hell is going on here?” The shout came from across the hall and both Mingi and Yunho recognized Hongjoong’s voice. 

“It’s good to know that you don’t care about anyone but yourself.” Yunho replied. 

The circle that had gathered around them dispersed as they sensed the fight was about to be broken up. Hongjoong was racing to Mingi and Yunho, his arms outstretched to try to pull them apart. Not that it did anything. If Jongho wasn’t able to seperate them, then Hongjoong wasn’t going to be able to. Their height gave them that advantage. 

“You know I really-” Mingi began, he let go of Yunho’s robes to pull back his fist, ready to punch again. 

Hongjoong interrupted, “Let go of each other now!” Jongho was pulling Yunho back while Hongjoong pulled at Mingi. 

Finally they were able to seperate the two, both of them continued to shout at each other as they were pushed in opposite directions. 

Jongho pulled Yunho down the hall before they stopped and Jongho turned to look at Yunho’s face. A large welt was starting to appear across his cheek where Mingi had hit him. He waited while Yunho got in control of his breathing before he spoke. “Listen, we’ve all sat by while you and Mingi had your fight. But now you’re punching each other? You’re actually hitting each other? What is going on?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Yunho muttered under his breath. His automatic response. 

“Too bad. You should have thought about that before you started a brawl in the great hall.” Jongho put his hand on Yunho’s shoulder. “You need to talk about it so that hopefully you can resolve things with Mingi.” 

Yunho turned and sat down on one of the benches that lined the hall. His head lolled forward as he let his hands rake through his hair. “I-” he paused as if he couldn’t say the right words. “It’s complicated.” 

“I refer you back to my previous statement. Brawl. In the great hall.” Jongho emphasized with his hands as he turned and sat down patiently next to Yunho. His eyes staring ahead, waiting for Yunho to reply. 

Yunho continued to stare down at his hands. His fingers picking at a small hangnail. They sat in silence while Yunho gathered up the courage to say what he had been avoiding for the past week. 

“When I found out about what happened with the Swooping Evil. I was so pissed, still am.” 

“Well that makes sense. We were all a little pissed.” 

“I wasn’t just a little pissed. I was furious. He didn’t think to tell me about it and that put him at risk, he could have been killed. But more than that I could have helped him. I could have stopped him.” Yunho finally yanked the hangnail out and sat upright. “And I just don’t want him to know how upset I really am. Because I’m way more upset than I probably should be.” 

“Okay, but why?”

Yunho leaned closer to Jongho, speaking quietly. “I think that I’m in love with Mingi.” A sigh escaped him, the pressure of holding everything in released. He had known this for a while, he had known that he liked Mingi as more than a friend, but it wasn’t until he thought that Mingi had almost died that he was forced to confront his feelings. To really realize the extent of his feelings. 

He remembered when Hongjoong of all people mentioned it. Worry and panic had raced through him. He could have died! Didn’t he care at all about himself? When he saw Mingi, his first response had been to turn away to not face his feelings. He let his anger fester instead. 

“Oh,” said Jongho. There was a short pause as Jongho tried to put the pieces together. “So… Are you mad that you love him?”

“What? No.” Yunho let out a short laugh. 

“I just don’t get why all the fighting if it's because you love him.” 

“I… Care about Mingi in a way that’s more than a friend.” Yunho tried to sort through his brain for the best words to explain. “And he doesn’t.” He shrugged as if that could help explain. “I just, I saw him for the first time after and all I wanted to do was hug him and hold him. So instead I turned away. Then the anger started. How could he have been so dumb, so reckless. Didn’t he know that if he had gotten hurt how much it would have killed me? Of course he didn’t know though.” Yunho glanced up at the ceiling, heat and chargin were rushing unstopped through his chest. Like little pricks inside his body, pulling at his heart. 

“Oh,” said Jongho. “You do see how much you hurt him right?” 

Mingi’s angry face flashed before his eyes. The way he had looked when he had punched Yunho was beyond mad. It was full of frustration and sadness, desperate and raw.

Yunho didn’t know how he was supposed to repair things with Mingi when there was a war going on in his head. Did he really love Mingi? Was this all just some sort of fever dream? Could he still be friends with Mingi knowing he loved him? How was he supposed to act normally when he was jealous?

Again, he saw Mingi’s face in his mind. He had been so distant with Mingi after the incident that he hadn’t seen how much he was hurting Mingi. Not until their fight. It had almost shocked him out of the state he was in. 

The more Yunho thought the more his anger at what happened dissipated and he missed Mingi. Even with his conflicting feelings, he didn’t want to ruin his friendship with Mingi. That was the most important thing.

“Yeah, I’ll fix things.” Eventually, Yunho thought to himself. And he would fix things. He was just going to have to figure out how to deal with it all. 

“Good cause let me tell you, I have never seen either of you so angry in my life. Holy hell I was scared you guys just wouldn’t stop.” Jongho sighed and relaxed. 

They both turned to look at each other and Jongho laughed. “Dude you’ve got quite the bruise popping up on your jaw.” 

Yunho touched his face and rubbed his jaw softly. “Well I’m only going to look prettier tomorrow. I better go see if the house elves have any ice to spare.” 

They stood and started to walk down the hall. Against the nearest window, rain started its soft pitterpatter against the glass.


	11. Prefect's Bathroom

San and Wooyoung talked, sitting on the floor of the astronomy tower as the rain fell around them. The sky above them had darkened from a navy blue into black and was now a hole of blackest nothing, which the rain steadily poured from. 

Finally Wooyoung stood up. His robes clung to him, soaked with water. “C’mon. It’s late, let’s head inside.” He reached down his hand to San.

San took it with his uninjured hand and stood. He laughed as water streamed down their legs and into their shoes. The cold wind started to pelt the rain into them “Oh man,” he said as they both started to make their way inside. “I could really go for a hot bath right now.” He glanced over at Wooyoung who was smiling back at him. 

“I can make that happen. But we’d have to be sneaky.” Wooyoung answered almost immediately. “I’m pretty sure it’s past midnight, and while I’m allowed out because I’m a prefect, you, are not.”

“Really? How?”

Wooyoung grabbed San’s hand again and started to pull him towards one of the spiralling side stairways. The sound of their wet robes and squelching shoes was the only sound as they sneaked down the steps. He finally pulled San out of the stairway on the fifth floor and headed left; towards the Hospital wing. He finally stopped in front of a confused looking statue which had a plate on it that read Boris the Bewildered. 

“Hinkypuffs.” San heard Wooyoung whisper to the statue. Immediately the confused statue gained life and hopped to the side before going still once again.

“Where are you taking us?” San whispered. 

“Shhhh.” Wooyoung put his pointer finger to his lips, looked around them, before he pulled San into a doorway that he hadn’t noticed. There was a moment of darkness where the only lights came from the stained glass windows on the other side of the room. When the room lit up from several torches around the room San could see the huge bath that took up most of the room with hundreds of different faucets aiming into the bath. Along the deeper end a diving board was above the bath.

On one side were bathroom stalls and a small cove filled with items like shampoo, brushes, and towels. San was still holding Wooyoung’s hand as he stared around the room, mystified that no one had told him this place existed. 

“Welcome to the prefect's bathroom Flower.” Wooyoung announced. He paused before pulling San to the opposite side of the stalls and to a lonely doorway. In the room lined several lockers and a long mirror across one wall. Wooyoung finally let go of San’s hand, reached for his robes, and started to take them off. 

San was still in his Quidditch robes, his right arm was wrapped around his torso to keep still. Slowly, he stretched out his arm, which was very sore. With one hand, he started to untie his padding and robes and pull them off. 

A hand at his shoulder startled him. He turned around to see Wooyoung, shirtless, staring at him with his hand outstretched. 

“Do you need help?” His face was full of concern. 

San tried not to grimace as he pulled the robe off his shoulder. “No, I’m good.” His eyes landed on Wooyoung’s torso, his rigid abdomen. A flushing heat made its way through San’s cheeks and he looked away, back towards the wall.

He could hear Wooyoung continue to undress and head out of the room, shortly after San could hear water pouring into the bath.

Once San had worked his arm out of his robes it became much easier to get undressed. He stared down at his underwear and for a moment he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to take them off. The temperature of his body rose and flushed as he shook his head, keeping his underwear on and walked out to the bath room. 

He was surprised to see the bath already completely full in the couple minutes he had been in the lockers. Sitting on the diving board was Wooyoung in his underwear. When he saw San, he smiled and waved. “Watch this!” he called. He stood and started to bounce before one final jump had him forming a perfect pike and diving backwards into the water. 

San clapped slowly as he walked toward the bath. He sat down on the edge and dipped his legs into the water. He lowered himself slowly into the water with one hand and felt the comforting embrace of the hot bath water over his aching muscles. San closed his eyes and sank down to sit on the seat that lined the inside of the shallow end of the pool. He could feel the water lap around his neck as he assumed Wooyoung had swam up to sit next to him. 

San had his head propped up on the ledge, eyes closed. “That was pretty cool, where’d you learn to do it?” His muscles were already feeling better. The warm water unwinded him. 

Silence was the only answer so San peaked his eyes open and glanced beside him. Wooyoung had his arms behind his head and was staring across at the stain-glass windows, where a red haired mermaid was staring back at them. His eyebrows were knit together as he thought about something. “Sorry,” he started as he realized he had been silent for too long. “I, uh, learned it growing up. Can you do any tricks?”

“Me? No. There was never any time growing up.” San sank under that water and then rose again. He didn’t want to talk about his past. He was able to reach his arm up and wipe his hair back and he walked over to one of the many faucets. “What do all of these do?”

“Sadly I still don’t know what all of them do. Sometime last year I tried to figure them all out but I only got halfway through before the break, and now I can’t seem to remember where I left off.” His chuckle reverberated around the room. Wooyoung swam over to San before standing up. “I know this one lets out green bubbles that sink to the bottom of the pool, and this one has a thick creamy liquid.”

Wooyoung continued to describe the faucets, pointing to each one in turn. His body crossed over San’s, sometimes brushing against each other. Their torso’s were 2 thirds out of the water and San couldn’t help but notice Wooyoung, still struck from his earlier revelation. Water rivlets poured from his hair down the back of his neck and down his back. San thought about Wooyoung and everything that had happened since they met. There was so much of Wooyoung that didn’t make sense and San felt that he was only just beginning to piece it all together. 

“Earth to Flower?” Wooyoung had turned to face San, his eyes looking curiously at San. He hadn’t been listening, and Wooyoung must have noticed. 

“Sorry,” San muttered as he shook his head. He had been thinking of something that Wooyoung had said earlier that night when they had been talking. San had asked Wooyoung about his family, and Wooyoung had said that he had an older sister, but when San asked if she had also come to Hogwarts Wooyoung went quiet before changing the subject. What if she wasn’t a wizard? What about his parents? What if they weren’t wizards either? “Wooyoung, are you a muggleborn?” 

Silence. 

Wooyoung stared at San, his lips clenched together. His eyes glanced back and forth into San’s eyes. 

For a moment, San was worried he’d made Wooyoung angry and that Wooyoung was going to lash out again but he was surprised when Wooyoung turned away and ran his fingers through his wet hair. It was a couple moments before he turned back to face San. His eyes stared forward as he nodded. “Yeah, I’m muggleborn.” His hand reached up to point at San. “You can’t tell anyone. Swear to me you won’t tell anyone.” He took a step toward San so they were only inches apart. His face was serious. 

“I swear,” San replied automatically. He saw Wooyoung relax and automatically took a step back. “I don’t understand. Why don’t you want people to know that you’re a muggleborn? It’s not a bad thing.” San brought his hands out of the water and placed his palms up, his shoulders shrugging. 

“I forget that you’re new to Hogwarts.” Wooyoung sat down on the ledge behind him so that just his feet were in the bath. 

San sat down next to Wooyoung and waited for him to continue.

“What do you know about the history of Hogwarts?” Wooyoung asked, his eyes were looking down at his hands, fingers twisting together. 

“Uhm, Hogwarts was formed by Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, and Godric Gryffindor. They formed the four houses to accept people based on their personalities into those houses to teach magic to children.” San said still confused, his hand reached up to his shoulder subconsciously and started to rub the muscles.

“Yes, there’s more though. When they were forming the houses Salazar Slytherin wanted Hogwarts to only provide education to pure bloods. But the other three founders wanted Hogwarts to be open to everyone. So Salazar Slytherin left Hogwarts, never to return. He also left the Chamber of Secrets, he said one day his monster would rise from the chamber to kill all the muggleborns. But that’s a different story.” Wooyoung sighed and looked at San to make sure he was still following. “The point is that there has never, ever been a muggleborn Slytherin. Except me. Because the founder of this house was a Pureblood Supremacist. The other Slytherins refer to muggleborns as Mudbloods.” 

San sucked in a gasp of air. That word was a foul name, one of the worse to call someone of muggle birth. 

Wooyoung’s normally proud shoulders we’re slumped forward as if he could somehow shield himself. “When I decided to come to Hogwarts I didn’t know which house they would put me in. I’m definitely not a Hufflepuff, or a Gryffindor. And I’m not clever enough to be in Ravenclaw. Slytherin seemed to be the only house where I fit, but how could I, a muggleborn, be in Slytherin?” He straightened up and looked at San. “So I lied. And no one knows I’m a muggleborn.” 

San nodded and something else clicked. “Your boggart?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s pretty dumb. But I wrapped myself up in the lie and I didn’t know if I could trust you at the time and so I freaked out. Sorry. There’s just no knowing what would happen if other people found out. Especially with the Slytherins. You haven’t heard some of the things they say or do.” 

“Oh.” The word was more of an exhale. He watched Wooyoung continue to wring his fingers and gently placed his hand over Wooyoung’s. “I’m sorry. Am I the only one who knows?” 

“And Yeosang. He’s the one who helped me realize I was wrong to have yelled at you. He’s really quiet but when he has something to say he makes it count.” Wooyoung laughed quietly, his arms crossed. 

San nodded, thinking about the day after he had seen Wooyoung’s boggart. The sympathetic look that Yeosang had given him as Wooyoung had been so rude. “What else did Yeosang say?” he asked curiously.

“That,” Wooyoung paused. “That is between Yeosang and I.”

San smiled and rolled his eyes. He slipped back into the water and started to swim away.

“Are you still mad at me?” Wooyoung followed after him and tried to meet San’s eyes. 

San shook his head and smiled at Wooyoung. His hair flopped into his eyes and he tried to shake it back out of his face. 

A laugh escaped Wooyoung as he reached up and moved the strand of hair from San’s face. “You know you’re kind-of handsome Flower.” He smiled and laughed again. 

“Was that a complement?” San chuckled in return. He pulled slightly away from Wooyoung’s hand before Wooyoung could feel the heat in his face. San turned to look at the mermaid in the window. She seemed to be looking over at something to the right, it must have been outside because the only thing to the right of San and Wooyoung were the lines of Bathrooms. Her green tail swayed side to side over the water as she perched on the rock and pulled her fingers through her hair. 

“Maybe.” San could hear Wooyoung say. 

The mermaid’s eyes widened and she stopped combing her hair to dive into the water below her and out of sight of the window. As she did a dark shape crossed in front of the windows. Its shape was hunched and misshapen. Definitely an animal as it sniffed the window and continued across the way.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ssshh,” San turned to press his hand over Wooyoung’s mouth. They both stood in silence as they waited for the shape to pass. 

Even after the shape passed, prowling across the way. San kept his hand over Wooyoung’s mouth. Minutes ticked by and the shape passed over the window again. This time it paused in front of the rock where the mermaid had been sitting. It lifted it’s head and screeched into the night air before it moved on, screeching towards the next window. 

Only when the mermaid poked her head back into the frame of the window did San let out his breath and unclasp his hand from Wooyoung’s mouth. 

“What was that?” 

“Gytrash,” San gasped, trying to find his breath. “They’re like Hellhounds.” He explained. He couldn’t get his hands to work as he tried to clench and unclench them, restoring blood flow in his clammy hands despite the warm water around him. 

He knew there had been rumors of Mortem in the area. It had to have been a coincidence, he hadn’t left a trail for Mortem to follow, he had made sure of that. But he knew the Gytrash were just the first creatures Mortem would send.

San hurried to get out of the water. His hands pushed against the tiles, the dull ache of his arm almost forgotten. He could feel his body move towards the lockers. Behind him he heard the splash and the wet footsteps of Wooyoung following him. 

“San. San!” Wooyoung almost shouted as he hurried after San and grabbed his arm. He yanked it back so that San would have to look at him. “What’s going on? Talk to me!” 

San couldn’t look at Wooyoung, instead he looked down at his hands, which shook at his sides. “I need my wand.” He tried to pull his arm out of Wooyoung’s grip but he held fast.

“Not until you answer me.” Wooyoung begged. “Remember how I told you that sometimes there's a darkness in you? Right now. You look worse than you ever have. Please tell me what’s going on.” 

San took a deep breath. Could he talk about this, could he tell someone? Finally? The screeching of the Gytrash closed him. He couldn’t tell Wooyoung. He couldn’t put him in danger.

“No.” San clenched his fist tightly. “I need to go talk Mcgonagall.”


	12. The Chosen One

San and Wooyoung sat in Professor Longbottom’s office as they waited for the teacher to make his way in. Filch stood behind them, his hot breath creeped down their necks. They had gotten caught shortly after leaving the bathroom. 

“San, wait-” Wooyoung had tried to insist once more but he could tell it was useless. San was already dressed and heading out into the hall. Wooyoung jumped as he pulled on his pants and followed after San. 

“You don’t understand, if the gytrash are here it’s only a matter of time before he is too.” There was a wild look in his eyes. Something about the Gytrash scared San more than Wooyoung knew. 

“Who is he?” Wooyoung whispered as he struggled to keep up with San. His hand reached out to grab at San’s robe. 

San whipped around to face. “Anchor Mortem.” He yanked his sleeve away from Wooyoung and started down the hall once more. 

“Why would Anchor Mortem be here?” Wooyoung whispered. They rounded down one of the many small spiraling staircases. 

San was gasping for breath, panic welling through every vein and racing in his blood. His hands trembled as he paused and leaned back against the cold stone. “For me. He’s here for me.” He struggled to catch his breath. 

Wooyoung faced him across the other side of the stairs. He let San take several deep breaths in the silence before he finally asked, “Is he still chasing you? Are you in danger?”

They stood on the stairs as San took another breath, his heart rate finally slowing and his breath came out more even. “I-”

“And what might you two be doing out of bed?” Asked a slimy voice from behind the corner. Filch shuffled out from above them and held up his lamp to look both boys in the face. Mrs. Norris purred as she circled around Filch’s legs. 

Now, Wooyoung glanced at San and his hand habitually reached up to chew on his fingernail. San’s darkness was the worst he’d seen it. His eyes were wide and panicked. Almost empty as if his mind was some other place, some other time. His entire body was still as they waited for Professor Longbottom. 

Finally the door creaked open and Professor Longbottom came in, his brown hair disheveled and a long robe thrown hastily over a pair of striped pajamas. Brown leather slippers covered his feet and clutched in his hand was a lantern and his wand. 

“Ah, Filch I got your message. Why are we here?” He turned to sit at his desk and glanced between San and Wooyoung. His eyes missed nothing as he took in Wooyoung’s still nervousness and San’s resigned emptyness. 

“I caught these two out of bed.”

“Wooyoung is a prefect, are you not? And is allowed out of bed after hours to patrol the halls.” 

“That’s why I brought the other one to you and didn’t call his head of house. I told him to go back to his dorm but he wouldn’t leave the other one.” 

It occured to Wooyoung that Filch didn’t know their names and only knew that Wooyoung was a prefect from the gleaming badge on his left chest pocket. 

“Professor,” San spoke up. “I need to see Professor Mcgonagall. It’s important.” 

“So important that it could not wait until morning?” There was a gleam in Professor Longbottom’s eyes, as if he was remembering something pleasant. His mouth turned up at the corner as San replied.

“No sir.” He said with all seriousness.

Professor Longbottom gave a soft hah sound and said, “Very well, tell me what it is and I will relay your message to the Headmistress.” 

San glanced nervously behind him at Filch, then over to where Wooyoung sat beside him before he looked back at Professor Longbottom. 

Professor Longbottom smiled and turned his attention to where Filch was still leering behind them. “Thank you Filch I believe that will be all. I can handle the students in my house.” 

Filch grumbled a bit before he grasped his lamp and hobbled out. Mrs. Norris followed after him, slinking through the door before it shut. 

“And you too, Mr. Jung.” Professor Longbottom nodded. 

For a moment Wooyoung sat up and opened his mouth as if he was going to protest and demand to stay before he closed it and stood from the chair. Still in his wet robes, he trudged out of the room and closed the door behind him. 

San clasped his hands together as he turned back to Professor Longbottom. 

“It seems as if there is something bigger going on here than I was aware.” Professor Longbottom sighed and leaned back in his chair. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost. What’s happened San?” 

“There’s a Gytrash on the Grounds.” San spoke matter-of-factly. 

“Oh? Did you see it?” Professor Longbottom seemed more intrigued now. 

San nodded. 

Without replying, Professor Longbottom reached forward for something on his desk, a quill, and started to write out on a parchment that was lying on his desk. He stayed that way for several minutes, scrawling out onto the paper. 

“Sir, I don’t know if you realize what this means but he’s coming, Anchor Mortem is coming to Hogwarts.”

Professor Longbottom held out a hand for San to wait until he was done writing. Once he was finished an owl the color of ebony glided to a perch next to Professor Longbottom as it waited for him to tie the parchment around his left leg then took off out the high open window. Finally he looked at San again and spoke, “Alright, tell me what you saw.”

“Who did you write to?” San asked. 

“My old friend. He is an Auror and one of the main wizards trying to catch Anchor Mortem. If Mortem is coming to Hogwarts, he needs to know. Now, how did you see the Gytrash?” 

“I was with Wooyoung, we were in the Prefect’s bath, warming up after getting soaked in the rain.” San could feel his cheeks start to heat up of their own accord. “It was prowling across the window.” 

“Alright, I think it’s time you head off to bed. Do not,” He looked pointedly at San. “Try to go find the Gytrash or wander the halls tonight.” 

“But I need to help you find it, you need to kill it and I can help.” San insisted. 

Professor Longbottom was already shaking his head. “Absolutely not.” 

“Why not? Students helped in the Battle of Hogwarts!” San’s hands gripped the sides of his chair. Knuckles white as he gripped harder and harder.

“Does it look like we are amidst the Battle of Hogwarts?” Asked Professor Longbottom exasperatedly, his eyebrows raised and scrunched together in worry. 

“No, sir.” 

“The other teachers and I will handle things tonight, and tomorrow you can come see me in my office after lunch. I will repeat myself. Do not go wandering the halls or try to find the Gytrash. If you do, I will know.” There was something about the way he said it that made San believe him. Maybe Professor Longbottom had a magic Map like the one Harry Potter used to have. With a deep breath, San released the arms of the chair and stood. He hid his hands behind him as they continued to tremble. 

San turned and walked out of the office. 

That night San laid in bed and tossed and turned, unable to sleep and unable to calm himself down knowing that the Gytrash was roaming the grounds. Knowing that Anchor Mortem was close. Close to finding him. 

For a long while San had to stand at the window and watch the grounds, his racing heart unable to rest when he thought about the gytrash being anywhere close to the school. 

He didn’t know when he finally fell into a fitful sleep, sitting against the window sill. His head resting against the panes of the glass window. The glare coming from the rising sun woke him still too early and he groaned as he sat up and squinted at the room around him. Bleary eyed, San dressed and waited once more at the window for it to be late enough to go down to breakfast.

His heart felt like it weighed him down and had sunk low into his gut while he slept. 

Even as he walked into the Great Hall and sat down, the people that made their way in between the tables, laughing and talking, without a care or knowledge that the world around them wasn’t as safe as they suspected. 

He sat down and placed a large scone on his plate. He stared at it for a good while until Hongjoong came and sat next to him. He started talking to some other gryffindors in his year that sat across the table.

“Professor Longbottom announced that they might be postponing the Hogsmeade trip next week.” He said. 

“Did he say why?” They asked in return. 

“I haven’t gotten to ask. There was a letter posted in the common room this morning.” He replied. 

San stood, unable to stomach sitting and eating. His mind reeling, his feet already walking out of the great hall. Professor Longbottom wouldn’t cancel the hogsmeade trip unless they had found something, and San needed to know what. 

He didn’t even realize as Wooyoung watched him get up and leave and then quietly followed him out at a distance. 

San could feel his hands start to shake once more and reached into the pocket of his robes for his wand. The feeling of the smooth wood in his hand calmed him down and steadied his thoughts. His thumb rubbed over the soft ridge that separated the hilt from the rest of his wand. 

Once he reached Professor Longbottom’s office he could hear voices within. Both of which he recognized. 

Without hesitation, San pushed open the door and saw Auror Harry Potter standing across from Professor Longbottom. 

When he saw San his eyes lit up and he smiled across the room before he said, “San Choi, it’s good to see you again.”

“You too sir.” San finally got his mouth to work. His hand released his grip on his wand. 

“Don’t call me sir. It makes me feel old.” He smiled grimly and looked at Professor Longbottom before he started to walk toward San. His hand outstretched for a handshake. Harry and San gripped hands tightly before they let go and stepped away. Harry placed his hands on his hips and looked San up and down. 

“You’ve gotten taller.” He said finally. 

San laughed slightly, nervousness clouding his voice. “Yeah, It’s been three years sir.” 

“I’m sorry,” Professor Longbottom interrupted. “I didn’t realize you two knew each other.” 

“Did you find the Gytrash?” San asked, ignoring Professor Longbottom’s unspoken question. 

Harry sighed, “No, not even with a tracking trace.” 

“It’s, Mortem. This is just how it started out last time.” San replied. “I want to help.”

“You’re still underaged.” There was no room for argument in Harry’s voice. 

And yet San couldn’t help but try to convince him. “Sir, in the battle of Hogwarts, students fought even though they were underaged.”

“Actually we evacuated everyone underaged except for those that snuck back in.”

“I‘ll sneak out. I want to help.” San insisted. 

“I wouldn’t if I were you. I will be loaning Neville my marauders map.” 

“Who’s Neville? And what’s a marauders map?” 

“That would be me.” Professor Longbottom raised his hand which held a folded crumpled parchment of paper. “And this is the marauders map.” 

San remembered what Mingi and Yunho had told him on one of his first days at Hogwarts. About a magical map that Harry had while he was at Hogwarts and that he had supposedly passed down to his son. Professor Longbottom didn’t have one like the one Harry had, but he had the exact same map. 

There didn’t seem to be anything on the paper. As Professor Longbottom held it, it was blank and looked like nothing more than a plain piece of paper. No map anywhere in sight. 

“This map will show him exactly where you are and if you go out looking for trouble, he will know.” Harry gave a pointed look at San. 

“Okay.” San grumbled. 

“How do you two know each other?” Professor Longbottom asked. 

Harry looked away from where he was scrutinizing San and took a deep breath. “Years ago when Anchor Mortem was rising to power, I was in charge of searching and finding him. We knew he was searching for some unknown power. Finally he started tracking something. Heading east, across Europe. Several intelligences were able to send us small bits of information before they disappeared.” Harry folded his arms in front of him and sat on the edge of a tall table. “He was searching for a family, we never found out why. But we found the family before he did and put them into protective custody. San, his mother, and brother all moved from Korea to Bulgaria. I had some friends there that could keep them safe and hidden.” 

Professor Longbottom was nodding his understanding. 

“Sir I know how he works. I can help.” San insisted once more. “You know I can.”

Harry insisted, “San, it would be irresponsible for us to allow you to be a part of the search parties.” 

Professor Longbottom also spoke, “Please, let the teachers and Aurors do their job. I don’t just have this map to watch over you but also to watch over all of Hogwarts to see if anyone enters the grounds that shouldn’t be there.”

“Fine,” San grumbled. His heart not entirely believing the words he was hearing. 

“I have to go back to the ministry. I will be back soon.” He looked to San as if he could guess what he was thinking, what he was thinking of doing. Against the advice of Harry and Professor Longbottom. 

“I think you can go now San, but I expect you back for detention with me at noon.” Professor Longbottom said, entirely dismissing San. 

With a small grumble San walked out into the deserted hall. It was mid October and most students were out getting the last warmth of fall before winter set in. 

He continued to walk, unable to think about where he was going. 

Beside him, Wooyoung fell into step and reached out his hand to grab San’s. Not to pull him back but to comfort him as they walked. San let Wooyoung steer him up, up to the top of the clock tower where the air was moving and the sounds of people far below couldn’t be heard. 

He pulled him to the wrought iron railing and turned around. Their backs against the cold iron. The sun was risen over the horizon, slowly getting higher in the sky. 

“Talk to me. What’s going on?” Wooyoung whispered, leaning to look at San. His voice was quiet and delicate as velvet. He pulled San’s hand to him, his other hand reaching out to grasp it. He turned San’s hand over in his own and started to trace the lines on his palm. 

San took a deep breath before the words started to pour out, like a torrent of water he was unable to stop them. “When Anchor Mortem was hunting for my family, we were able to hide for a full year before he found us. Auror Potter helped us hide with an old quidditch acquaintance. That was Victor Krum. We hid in Bulgaria. We thought we were safe. We were happy. Then one day the wizards who brought us supplies started to disappear. Or they would come with tales of being chased by wild ferocious beasts. Not long after that the Gytrash were the first to show up at the Cottage. It was the first sign that Anchor Mortem had found us. That we were in danger. We didn’t know that. So we stayed and they tried to kill the Gytrash. It was too smart and too fast.” 

“It fed on the fear it created. Terrorizing the wizards and witches protecting us. Other creatures came and prowled the forest around us at night. But I was too young, they never let me out to see them. By the time Mortem arrived with his group, half of the wizards and witches protecting us had gone mad.” San sighed, finally able to take a deep breath in.  
San couldn’t bear to look at Wooyoung. “I need to learn how to fight, because soon, very soon. Anchor Mortem will be coming to Hogwarts. Will you teach me?” 

“San, you don’t need to fight. What did Professor Longbottom say?” Wooyoung shifted his feet and turned to look at San, his eyes pouring over San. He searched for some sign of what San was thinking, of what he could possibly do to help. 

“He said that I needed to step back and let the teachers and aurors handle it.” San’s head drooped and his eyes stared at his shoes. His eyes filled with frustrated tears. 

“That sounds reasonable.” Wooyoung let go of San’s hand with one hand to reach up and push the white streak of hair out of his face. 

“No!” San yanked his hand away from Wooyoung and took several paces away. His back now to Wooyoung. He didn’t want anyone to see this weakness. This helplessness. “It’s just like last time. I’m stuck inside and there’s nothing that I can do as I watch the people around me get hurt and killed.” His arms folded in front of him as if they could hold him together, or at least hold the tears inside. “I can’t do that again. I won’t.” 

He turned around to face a startled Wooyoung again. “Please. Please teach me how to fight.” The tears swam to the surface. The memories that he kept so suppressed were flashing in his mind. 

With three steps Wooyoung was to San, his arms reaching around San to wrap him up and clutch him into a hug. As if he could pour every soothing thought and feeling into it, into helping San. “Yeah, okay, I’ll teach you.” He spoke into the side of San’s hair. “But promise me if I do, You can’t go running off by yourself. Promise me you’ll tell me before and that you’ll let me come with you.”

San’s arms unclenched from around himself and slowly wrapped around Wooyoung. “I promise.” He muttered into Wooyoung’s shoulder. The feeling of Wooyoung’s arms around him kept him together more than his own arms had been able to.


	13. The Library

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you believe me if I told you I had to rewrite this chapter THREE times? Anyways it won’t take so long for the next chapter

“Again.” Wooyoung said as he paced behind San. They both stared at the large dueling dummy in the center of the room. Every once and a while, Wooyoung would reach out to tweak San’s form or grip on his wand. 

San reached out once more and shouted. “Stupify.” But the dummy only fell backwards before righting itself.

“Good. You’re getting better.” Wooyoung grinned as he came to stand on the other side of San. “Again.” 

He had discovered after their first lessons that San had been taught and was actually fairly good at shields and protections spells. So they had been able to quickly move on to offensive work. 

The first couple spells they had tried to cover had been hard for San but Wooyoung really was an exceptional teacher and San quickly progressed. By the second week, San had been able to master several defensive and offensive spells. 

And over the past weeks since they had seen the Gytrash, Wooyoung watched San wilter yet flourish in front of him. Dark circles appeared under his eyes and continued to get darker and darker. Wooyoung knew he wasn’t sleeping but San would hardly let him help. He would jump or whip out his wand when startled, and although he tried to hide it, a lot of things startled him now. It was like he was expecting danger to leap out at him from any corner. 

“Take a deep breath,” Wooyoung whispered. He reached up to press down on San’s rising shoulders. “Relax.” 

San started at his touch and then with a quick glance back at Wooyoung, he willed his shoulders down, his wand still pointed at the dummy. “Stupify.” This time his aim was true and his spell struck the dummy right in the center of it’s chest and pushed it back into the wall. 

“Yes, good job.” Wooyoung reached out to touch San’s forearm. His hand lingered there for a moment before he let it drop to his side. 

And the flourish, he continued to do better and better at defense against the dark arts as well as the rest of his classes. During their private lessons, electricity danced between them as their friendship grew stronger and stronger. Maybe into something more. They were almost inseparable out of classes and quidditch practice, much to the disdain of the other slytherins.

San lowered his wand and stared out the window over the grounds, leaves floated down from the trees, making soft piles of orange and red. In the distance the whomping willow shook its branches occasionally as it tried to release its remaining leaves. Several third year gryffindors seemed to be playing a game of chicken and were seeing which one could touch the base of the whomping willow without getting hurt. His eyes glazed over the playing students and looked closer at the forbidden forest, constantly looking for signs of Mortem.

“You’re doing well, why don’t we take a break?” 

“Something’s wrong. The wisps and banshees should have arrived by now.” San muttered. He moved closer to the window as if the better view could make the mysterious creatures appear. 

“Maybe the extra enchantments that Mcgonagall put into place are working. You did tell her which creatures Mortem would send.” Wooyoung knew that San wasn’t speaking to him but he couldn’t resist trying to reassure him. He never wanted to pressure San into talking about his past but he could see the toll everything was taking on his friend. “San?”

San turned as if he had only heard his name. “Yes?” 

“Do you want to take a break?” 

“Yeah, sure.” He whispered, still slightly in a daze. His brain was still turning. It had been weeks since they had seen the gytrash and if it had just been him he might have thought it had just been one of the many nightmares that plagued his sleep. But Wooyoung had been with him. They had both seen the gytrash. 

Mortem was coming for him, he was sure of it and there was nothing that anyone was letting him do. He had offered to leave Hogwarts to protect the other students but both Professor Magonagall and Harry had told him he was not allowed to try to leave. Hogwarts was the safest place for him, for all of the students. 

There was no way he was going to let more people die for him, not when so many had already laid down their lives, including his own family. 

San shook the memory from his head and placed a smile on his lips. It only lasted a second before it faded. He didn’t have the strength to keep the pretense up. 

Without thinking, Wooyoung reached out to soften the harsh wrinkle that had taken residence in between San’s eyebrows. “If you ever want,” he paused trying to think of the best words. His hand trailed to San’s cheek. “If you ever need to talk, I’m here. You don’t have to try to take everything on by yourself.” 

San reached up to overlap his hand on Wooyoung’s. He wouldn’t risk Wooyoung’s life. He couldn’t do that to his closest- the word friend seemed a little underwhelming after the past couple weeks but he didn’t have any other word. His closest friend. 

The words that would reassure Wooyoung hung on the tip of his tongue. But as much as he wanted to keep Wooyoung safe from all the darkness surrounding him, a part of him wanted for the sweet relief he knew would come if he was able to share his story with just one other person.

“Let’s go get some studying done.” San finally said. His fingers wrapped around Wooyoung’s and pulled them away from his face. He let them dangle, interwoven in between them for a minute before he pulled his hand out and walked over to where their book bags were slumped against the wall near the door. “If I don’t get help from Mingi for Care of Magical Creatures I’ll never pass this next test.” 

He looked back to Wooyoung and this time his smile came more easily, as it always did around Wooyoung. 

They walked down to the library in a comfortable silence. Both of them enveloped in their own thoughts. 

Once they arrived they quickly spotted Mingi and Yunho who were arguing, again, across a table as they did most days now. Ever since their fight. And poor Jongho sat across the way looking back and forth at the two. 

At least they were keeping their voices down, but San and Wooyoung could still hear their harsh whispers as they sat down next to Jongho. 

“How long have they been going at it this time?” Wooyoung asked. 

“About ten minutes, I was about to head down to dinner if they didn’t stop.” Jongho still looked over at the two boys. His eyebrows scrunched together, both hands pressed to his temples. He grumbled something under his breath and closed his eyes. 

“What did you say?” Asked Wooyoung curiously.

“Ah, uh nothing.” Suddenly Jongho looked up at Wooyoung, panic flashing across his face.

“Now you have to tell us. It must be something important.” Said Wooyoung.

“No no it's really not something I can talk about.” 

Wooyoung looked over at San and they both shared a look before turning back to Jongho. 

“If it can help the fighting you need to tell us.” San insisted. 

“No, it sounded like crazy talk when he told me.” Jongho glanced back over at Mingi and Yunho. 

“It’ll make you feel better if you tell us, and then we can help.” 

Jongho was caught, glancing between San, Wooyoung, and the two arguing in the back. Maybe if he told them they could actually help stop the fighting. “Okay but you can’t tell anyone.” 

San and Wooyoung both nodded, leaning in closer as Jongho took a deep breath. 

“Yunho said he’s in love with Mingi.” 

Shocked silence returned his statement. 

“Then why are they fighting?” asked San finally. 

Jongho shrugged, wide eyed and unknowing. “It didn’t make any sense to me. He went on about how he’s angry because he thinks that Mingi doesn’t love him. I think. I’m not really sure. I don’t care about all this love stuff. I just want my friends to stop arguing all the time.” 

“Sounds like some dumbass bullshit if you ask me.” Wooyoung whispered as he stood and started to walk towards Mingi and Yunho. 

“No! Wait!” Jongho grasped at Wooyoung’s robes. “You promised!” He insisted. 

“If they are going to fight over something so stupid we have to help them. This has been going on for weeks!” 

San spoke up, all of them still whispering so they didn’t get kicked out by madam Pince. “Listen Mingi doesn’t really even know why they’re fighting. They just can’t help pushing each other’s buttons and that just makes them angrier.” 

“He’s right.”Jongho pulled again on Wooyoung’s robes. “If we are going to do something it has to be discreet.” 

Wooyoung stayed standing for a moment as he continued to look across the library. His foot tapped irritatedly. Suddenly a smile spread across his face and came back to sit in between Jongho and San again. “We’re going to have to parent trap them.”

“We’re going to what?” 

“I forget that neither of you have seen the classics.” Wooyoung continued to smile and rolled his eyes. San and Jongho stared back at him like he had gone mad. 

“There’s this movie called the parent trap. Twins are separated at birth and find each other at summer camp and realize they are twins so they decide to switch places and return home with the wrong parent.”

“I fail to see how the plot of this movie can help us.” Jongho muttered.

“Hold on. They want to reunite their parents so they set these elaborate traps to try to get their parents back together. That’s what we need to do for Mingi and Yunho. We need to set up some elaborate traps to bring them together again. At least on friendly terms.” And deep in Wooyoung’s thoughts he hoped that this would prove enough of a distraction for San that he could take his mind off of Mortem for a couple days. “Trust me. It worked for them, why wouldn’t it work for us? We’ve got magic on our side.” 

“Say we try this, what kind of traps would we do?” Asked San. 

Wooyoung reached out to grasp the hand that was resting on San’s knee. “We can plan all that tonight. Trust me.” 

“Alright.” Wooyoung’s sudden excitement was contagious and both San and Jongho gave a small returning grin. 

There was the sound of a chair scraping across the floor and the three boys looked up to where Mingi had just shoved his chair in and was storming out of the library. Several other students shhhed him. Yunho watched him leave before he turned back and buried his head in his hands, fingers raking through his hair. 

“We’d better do it quickly.” Jongho whispered. 

“We’ll meet back here after dinner to plan, okay?” 

“Okay.” 

They all stood and while Jongho went to go talk to Yunho, San and Wooyoung headed towards the great hall to eat.


	14. Potions and Traps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo the comeback has me shook its been on repeat constantly!  
> Enjoy the chapter<3

“Alright class I will be expecting your essays by next Wednesday. You only need to write one length of parchment no more. Do not forget that if you write too small I will not be able to read it and you will fail. I’m looking at the ravenclaws.” Professor stood in front of the class, several parchment of paper were tucked under his arm as he waved his wand and cleaned up the messes in front of everyone. They all sat at long benches in the middle of Greenhouse two and once dismissed were eager to head to lunch. 

Mingi sat beside San and started to pick up his book bag. He didn’t bother to glare at Yunho across the room as he gathered his things. Instead he looked dejected and lost. 

“Hey, I need to talk to Professor Longbottom, but after classes can you help me study for the Care of magical creatures unit test?” San felt bad about lying to Mingi. It wasn’t a complete lie. San really did need to study for Care of Magical Creatures but he had anterior motives for wanting to get Mingi with him after classes. 

Mingi looked up at San and smiled. “Yeah of course.” 

“Okay I’ll see you later.” San waved as Mingi left and started towards the front of the class. He passed by Yunho in silence and longed to say something to him but it was his job to get Mingi and Jongho would get Yunho. “Professor, can I speak to you for a moment?” San pushed past the tide of students heading for the door until he stood before Professor Longbottom. 

“Yes?” Asked Professor Longbottom quizzically. 

“Uh, I-“ San paused as he waited for more students to make their way out of the room. Once there were only small clusters of lingering students did San continue. “I was wondering if you had heard anything more about Mortem.” San could feel his heart thump hard in his chest like a steady drum, except that drum was trying to break. He knew there was things that the teachers had tried to keep from him. He had seen it, in the early hours of the morning San had watched one of the Aurors sent to protect Hogwarts stumble out of the Forbidden forest, his clothes had been torn and blood covered his left side. He had fought something in the forest but what San wasn’t sure. 

“Mr. Choi, you know I can not discuss that with you and even if I could I wouldn’t because you and your friends seem just the sort to needlessly seek out trouble.” This seemed to make Professor Longbottom smile even though he was reprimanding San. 

“But Sir-“ 

“Don’t ‘but sir’ me.” Professor Longbottom shook his head and waved a finger in front of San. “This is not up for discussion. We have told you time and again that you need to let the Aurors handle it. And also remember that if you try anything I still have the Map.” 

San could sense that Professor Longbottom was not going to budge in the slightest and his hope of divulging even a small piece of information from his teacher was for naught. Instead, he tried to change the conversation. “Would it be alright if I took some herbs from the storehouse? I need them for an extra credit assignment for potions.” 

“It has nothing to do with Mortem?” 

“Nothing.” San promised, eager to have Professor Longbottom agree before he asked too many questions. 

Professor Longbottom seemed to study San’s face for a moment before must have decided that there was nothing in the storeroom San could use to get into trouble. He nodded and pulled his wand from his pocket, turned to the back of the room and a quick wave unlocked the back door to the storeroom. “Be quick, and make sure to lock it up again when you leave.” He tucked his wand away again and followed the last of the other students out the door. 

San made his way over to the storeroom, pulled a small piece of paper from his pocket and started to read off the ingredients he needed. 

Once he had gathered them all up he hurried up to the castle. They only had their lunch period to prepare. San ran up the stairs to the empty classroom that he and Wooyoung normally practiced in. 

Inside, Wooyoung was sitting on the floor next to Yeosang. They talked in hushed whispers until Wooyoung saw San and beckoned him to sit down next to them. Almost immediately after, Jongho walked into the classroom, his arms full of candies and sweets. He was followed closely by a grumpy looking Seonghwa. 

Wooyoung looked back and forth between Jongho’s guilty face and Seonghwais critical one before he moaned. “You told him?”

“You told Yeosang.” Jongho said defensively as he went to sit next to San. “Besides, he cornered me.” He added the last part as if that ended it and there was no way he could have deceived Seonghwa once cornered. “And,” he emphasized the word. “I brought snacks.” He laid out all of the treats in front of them. 

“We need Yeosang’s expertise in potions.” 

“I’m sure Seonghwa can help.” Jongho still tried to justify his blabber mouth. He shrugged and flipped his head to get his hair out of his face, his hands now busy opening a box of Bertie’s Every Flavor Bean. 

“It’s like we’re not standing right beside them.” Seonghwa said. He stood there with his arms crossed, smiling down at bickering Wooyoung and Jongho. 

“I’m used to it.” Yeosang shrugged and smiled. 

“We might as well bring the whole exchange program at this point!” Wooyoung ignored Seonghwa and Yeosang. He reached into the pile of sweets for a Chocolate frog.

“I can go get Hongjoong. I’m sure he would approve of… whatever you guys are doing.” Seonghwa turned as if he was really heading to go get Hongjoong. 

Wooyoung held out a firm finger pointed at Seonghwa. “Don’t you dare.”

“Then I get to help. This fight has affected all of us.” Seonghwa turned back and took a seat on the other side of the circle in between Yeosang and Wooyoung. “Plus you can’t blame Jongho. He’s a terrible liar. It was almost too easy to get him to spill the beans.” 

“Fine.” With a heavy sigh Wooyoung turned to San. “Did you get the supplies? Give them to Yeosang.” 

San handed over his book bag that was filled with the herbs and plants he had gotten from the storeroom. 

“What’s the plan?” Seonghwa asked tentatively. His eyes glanced towards the bubbling potions as Yeosang put several ingredients into it. 

Wooyoung smiled at San before diving into an elaborate and detailed explanation of their plan. 

“I don’t think you realize how dangerous this plan is.” Seonghwa said once Wooyoung had finished talking. 

Yeosang spoke as he stirred the potion seven times counter clockwise. “They‘ll be fine. There’s nothing in the plan that’s THAT dangerous.” He paused to add some gumwort. 

“It’s no swooping evil that’s for sure. But do you really think that it’ll work?” Jongho asked.

“Oh trust me it will.” Said Wooyoung confidently. 

***

“Yunho!” A voice called from above him on the stairs. Yunho leaned over the banister of the third floor to look up to see if he could find out who was calling his name. “Wait!” 

From behind him, Seonghwa ran down the steps, weaving around other students before he arrived next to Yunho. 

“What’s up?” Yunho asked as he started to walk down to the great hall. His hand reached out to grip the banister as the stairs underneath them started to move and change directions. He continued to walk down steps. 

In Seonghwa’s outstretched hand was a small folded piece of parchment. “I have this note for you.”

“Who’s writing me notes?” Yunho asked as he took the paper and started to unfold it. Written on the parchment was just two sentences in a small slanted scribble. 

I know about your feelings for Mingi. Meet me in the second boathouse down by the lake. It read. 

Yunho whipped his head around to confront Seonghwa, “Who in the world-“ but there was no one there. Behind him were two first year girls that looked startled to have a tall foreign boy yell at them. 

Yunho’s hand clenched around the parchment, effectively crumpling it. For a moment he debated whether to actually go to the boathouse or not. Why had Seonghwa not told him who the note was from? Why meet at the boathouse? Students weren’t allowed in the boathouse. 

Although he debated not going, Yunho knew that he was going to meet this person. He would find out what they wanted. 

The boathouse wasn’t forbidden to students. It was more that there wasn’t a reason to go to the boathouse unless you needed a good spot to snog. The boats were usually pulled out of the water for storage unless it was the first of term or if by chance one of the teacher’s needed them for class. Many students had tried over the years to spell the boats out onto the lake, but whoever had charmed the boats had done an exceptional job and the boats never left the dock no matter what students tried to get them out onto the lake. 

Yunho was sure that someone was responsible for the anti student charm on the boats but no one had told him who the culprits were. 

He had been to the boathouses before just once. Last year around the start of the year, a girl had pulled him down to the boathouses and tried to kiss him. The experience was less than enjoyable for him sadly and he had vowed never to go back. 

But here he was breaking that promise. At least he knew that a silly girl wanting to snog wasn’t waiting for him, or so he hoped. 

Yunho arrived in front of the boat house and quickly looked in one of the windows if he could see who was inside. It looked empty so he opened the door and walked inside. “Hello?” He called.

“Stupefy.” A voice called from behind him. 

And the world went dark. 

***

“Mingi! Mingi!” Jongho yelled in the great hall as he sprinted towards the Hufflepuff table. “Mingi I need your help!”

“What’s up?” Mingi asked looking up from where he and some other Hufflepuffs were talking to the Fat Friar, the Hufflepuff ghost, who all turned to stare at Jongho as well. 

“It’s San. I think something happened to him,” said Jongho. 

“What do you mean? I just saw San. He was fine.” Mingi laughed. He saw right through Jongho’s weak attempts at lying. 

“He tried to do something for Care of Magical creatures. Something about extra credit?” He tried harder to come up with something more believable. There was a pressure inside his skull and he tried to ignore it. Almost like a headache was about to start in his head. 

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” Mingi looked to the other hufflepuffs and shrugged his shoulders. “We didn’t have any extra credit.” 

Jongho decided it was probably better to abandon all attempts of deception and instead tried for desperation. “It’s important. Will you just come with me?” He wished that the group had not chosen him to bait Mingi but all the other guys were busy with Yunho. 

Mingi excused himself and stood, he gestured lightly for Jongho to lead the way. They both started out of the great hall and towards the south side of the grounds, towards the boat houses. 

Once they were far enough away from the castle he turned to Mingi and wrung his hands together. He really really wished he had been able to do anything but this. 

“Where’s San?” Mingi smiled down at Jongho. 

“He was heading down to the boathouse. He told me to have you meet him there.”

“The boathouse?” 

Jongho nodded but stayed where he was. 

“Aren’t you going to come with me?” Mingi asked. 

“I uh I need to go find Yunho for Quidditch practice.” For the millionth time Jongho wished he was a better liar. It was a good thing he wasn’t going to have to keep the lie up because he couldn’t keep digging himself deeper into this hole much longer. He pressed his hand to the side of his head, trying to dull the pressure building as he half smiled, half grimaced at Mingi. 

“Oh,” Mingi’s expression soured at the mention of Yunho. “Well have fun I guess.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you later.” Jongho waved as he watched Mingi head down the sloping and overgrown steps that lead down the cliff to the boathouse. 

He breathed out a huge sigh and ran his hand through his hair, gripping the roots tightly. If this didn’t work he was going bald, he couldn’t take the stress. 

Mingi hummed one of the Wicked Sister’s new songs as he made his way down the steps. Jongho had been acting strange and he wasn’t sure what was up. Maybe Jongho was just stressed because he felt caught in the middle of the mess that was Mingi and Yunho’s friendship. Or at least what was left of their friendship, which didn’t seem like much. 

MIngi saw the door of the boathouse swinging open and walked in, “San? Where are you?” He shut the door behind him. “You would not believe how weird Jongho was acting, he said you needed me -“ Mingi wandered into the boathouse, the whole south wall was gone, instead it inclined steadily downwards until the tiles were swallowed by the lapping ripples of the edge of the lake. 

He turned his attention to the rest of the boathouse when he saw legs peeking out from around a corner. “San, is that you?” Mingi reached into his pocket and fumbled in the emptiness before he remembered he had left his wand in the dorm room. He didn’t think he was going to need it at dinner. 

When there was no response from the person around the corner, Mingi crept forward, cursing himself for not having his wand on him. He rounded the corner and stared shocked as he saw Yunho slumped on the ground in front of him. 

“Yunho? Hey. Wake up!” Mingi rushed to Yunho’s side and shook his shoulder. Both of his hands reached out to pat him and shake him. A soft groan was Yunho’s only response. 

“Yunho wake up!” As Mingi shook Yunho his eyes traced over his face. He couldn’t help but take in his best friend’s features. His brow scrunched as he started to wake and his black hair fell across his face. His full lips pulled and moved as he gasped. Then up to his eyes which opened suddenly. 

And then Yunho started screaming.


	15. Secrets

San ran to greenhouse seven. They were using it as a base to watch over the boathouse because it was rarely used and mostly empty except for the line of mandrakes going into hibernation along one of the far walls. 

Light streamed in from the open windows and the empty greenhouse reflected back at San. Of course he was the first one here. The others were busy putting the plan into action. He sat on the ledge next to the windows and rested his head back on the window, his hands fell limp into his lap as he stared up at the vaulted ceiling. 

How was he supposed to continue staying at hogwarts? With all that was happening. He knew Auror Potter was hiding things from him and so was Professor Longbottom. They were trying to protect him from something he felt so obligated to end. He wasn’t a child anymore. He had already dealt with so many worse things. Watching his mother be killed by Anchor Mortem and then his brother; his sweet kind brother had been taken. Unconsciously, San reached up and pulled at the streak of white blonde hair. Twisting it in between his fingertips. 

San startled when the door to the greenhouse opened and Jongho walked in.

“No one else is here yet?” He asked. 

San shook his head and turned to look out the window. He could just see Wooyoung and Yeosang exiting the Boathouse and quickly hiding. They had to lay in wait for Mingi and then block the doors. 

“I wish I could have helped more.” San whispered. His breath fogged against the greenhouse glass.

“Yeah but we couldn’t have them see you and then realize something was up.”

“I know.” San didn’t want to be angry with Jongho. It wasn’t his fault that San felt as if he was being left out and kept from everything important. The only thing to do with this plan that he had actually been able to help out with was getting supplies and anyone of them could have done it. 

Silence welled between them. 

“San, I-“ Jongho sat next to San. He pressed the palm of his hand and pressed it into his forehead. The words stopping as pain radiated out from his forehead. 

“Are you feeling okay?” San reached out to put a comforting hand on Jongho’s shoulder. 

But as soon as San’s hand touched Jongho, he stood up straight. His eyes stared off into the distance, intent on something that San couldn’t see. 

“Jongho?” San was more concerned now. What was happening to his friend?

““The one you seek is closer than you realize  
When the snow stays he shall arrive  
Walking through Aconite, carrying Sweet Briar  
Brains and brawn will not help you  
He must bathe in eternal fire”

The moment the last word left Jongho’s lips he coughed and turned toward San. Confusion clear in his eyes. As well as the realization that his headache was now gone. 

“What the hell was that about?” Came a voice from the door. Seonghwa was staring back at the both of them. Shock mirrored on all of their faces. “Did you just prophesy something?”

****

It was a gut reaction for Mingi to reach out and slap Yunho. It was effective too. Yunho took a gasp in and his eyes rolled back as he turned on his side and groaned. 

He laid back on the cold tiles of the boathouse floor. “My leg.” He said after a moment. His voice was barely audible, more a low breath than actual words. 

“What?” Mingi asked. 

“There’s something wrong with my leg.” Yunho said more vigorously as he tried to sit up and get a better glance at his leg. “It’s burning.” With another grunt he fell back against the tiles. 

Mingi reached down and pulled at the cuff of Yunho’s pant leg. There was nothing under the first one but on Yunho’s left leg two small red and swollen holes. Blood trickled from one of the holes and dripped onto the tile of the boathouse. “Bloody hell. What bit you?”

“Something bit me?!” Yunho struggled even more to sit up but Mingi pressed his palms onto Yunho’s shoulders, pushing back down. Already a small sheen of sweat was covering Yunho’s brow. 

“Lay back and let me look at it.” Mingi lifted the cuff of Yunho’s pant leg again, this time rolling it up and out of the way. “It doesn’t look like any bite I’m used to seeing. Maybe it was a snake.”

“Maybe?! What do you mean maybe? You’re excellent with animals! Shouldn’t you know this?” Yunho yelled in a slight panic. 

“MAGICAL animals!” Mingi yelled back.

“There’s a difference?” 

“OF COURSE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE!” 

Yunho closed his mouth in a grimace as he watched Mingi press his fingers to either side of his forehead and pressed down, rolling in clockwise circles. “So what’s your plan?” He asked after several moments of silence. 

“We need to get you to Madam Pomphrey.” Mingi said finally. He stood up next to Yunho. “Can you stand?” 

Yunho looked skeptically down at his leg which was already starting to swell. “I-“ his breath hitched and he gasped again. “Yeah.” 

Mingi reached his hand down and grasped Yunho’s to help pull him to stand on his good leg. Without saying a word, Mingi put that same arm around his shoulders. 

As he stood, Yunho tried to put pressure on his leg only to have a sharp pain lance up his leg. It was all he could do not to lean all of his weight onto Mingi. 

They stumbled through the boathouse and towards the big barn doors. Mingi reached out for the handle and gave a great shove but the doors refused to budge. “What-“ He gripped Yunho tighter as he patted his pockets for his wand, before he remembered he had left it behind and cursed himself once again. “Yunho, give me your wand.” 

Yunho lifted his head from where it was lolling on Mingi’s shoulder. “It’s in my front pocket.” His hand fumbled for it. Handing it sloppily to Mingi. 

His wand was Cedar and Dragon heartstring, unyielding at 10 ½ inches. It felt strange in Mingi’s hand, so unlike his own wand which was made of oak and unicorn hair, quite springy at 11 inches. Small vines spiraled up from the handle. Bumpy in Mingi’s hand. 

“Alohamora.” Mingi pointed Yunho’s wand at the door. When nothing happened he pointed again at the doors and spoke again with more conviction. “Alohamora.” 

“It’s not working.” Yunho mumbled. 

“Don’t you think I can see that?” Mingi sighed and turned away from the door. Looking for another exit out of the boathouse. Slowly, he leaned down to set Yunho sit next to the doors and propped him up against the wall. “Stay here I’m going to see if there’s another way out.”

“Yup,” Yunho nodded, his eyelids drooping down as he struggled to keep his head up. “I’m not going anywhere.” Beads of sweat trickled down the side of his face. 

Mingi grimaced and stood. He swiveled on his heel and started back towards the boats that were stacked against the walls. There was a steady incline into the water of the lake along one wall. Mingi could see the Sun start its decent towards the trees of the forest and the water of the lake. He stuck out Yunho’s wand and tried to cast a spell, but the boats refused to move. “Wingardium Leviosa.” Mingi muttered through clenched teeth. Frustration and nervousness seeping into his voice. 

“It won’t work.” From the floor, Yunho tried to shout over to Mingi. “The boats are enchanted. They won’t move for anyone who isn’t a teacher.” 

“I don’t know what we’re supposed to do then. You’re only getting worse and the sun is going down.” He points to the opening of the boathouse on the lake where the sun was sinking ever lower, colors danced across the ripples of the lake. 

Yunho looked up at Mingi just as helplessly as he felt. 

There was no way they could just go swimming in the lake and try to get out that way, there were more dangerous and unknown creatures in the lake than the whole forbidden forest. “For fucks sake. How are we supposed to get out?” Mingi pulled his hands through his hair and glanced over at Yunho. His fingers laced up behind his neck. He took several steps toward Yunho before he stopped and stood in front of him. “How are you doing?”

“Eh,” Yunho huffed, trying his hand at brovato. “S’not so bad now.” He whipped the back of his hand across his face. “Just really cold.” 

Mingi went back to the doors and banged his fist against the wood, shouting as loud as he possibly could. “HEEELLPPPP.” When there was no answer he turned with a humph away from the door. 

In his scan of the boathouse Mingi had seen a closet near where he had found Yunho. Without a word he went to look in the closet for anything that could help them. Like maybe a broomstick. But maybe that would be asking for too much. 

Inside the closet he found several blankets, an old copy of the Daily Profit, and a dusty bottle of what looked like fire whiskey. It might have once been a part of some secret stash that was now long forgotten. Mingi grabbed it and whipped the dust off its glass container. Piling the contents of the closet into his arms. 

As Mingi walked toward Yunho he pulled the whiskey out of the pile and handed it down to Yunho. “There wasn’t anything that could help us but maybe this whiskey will help with the pain.” 

“I told you it doesn’t really hurt anymore.” Yunho grumbled but still took the bottle and tried to open the cap. 

“I can tell you’re lying to me from the way your hand is shaking right now. Drink the whiskey.” Mingi wrapped a blanket around Yunho’s shoulders. He grabbed the bottle from Yunho and grunted as he broke the seal and the cap came twisting off.

“Alright mom. Whatever you say.” Yunho replied sarcastically. 

Mingi rolled his eyes and sat next to Yunho, throwing the other blanket over both of their legs. “We might be here all night.” He crumpled up several papers of the newspaper and whispered softly, “Incendio.” The papers lit on fire and floated several inches off the floor in front of their feet. 

“I still don’t believe that you don’t know the solution for a simple snake bite.” Said Yunho. 

“I’m good at CARE of MAGICAL creatures. Not what to do when you’re bit by a snake. Why do you think that I would just pretend not to know?” Mingi retorted, slightly annoyed. 

Yunho offered a reply, “I don’t know, maybe to get back at me?”

“Are we talking about this finally? Back at you for what exactly?”Mingi turned to stare at Yunho. Their eyes only met for a moment. 

Yunho looked away, trying to change the subject. “There’s got to be something you know that will help.” He said finally. 

“I don’t see you offering any solutions.” Mingi muttered as he turned to look forward. 

Silence. 

“If I knew anything I would have already tried it.” Mingi continued. “I know the mating calls of a gripple and how to calm Cornish pixies but I don’t know how to help someone with a snake bite.” Mingi could not feel more useless at that moment. But he also felt that he needed to defend himself, maybe it helped him not feel like this was all his fault even though it evidently wasn’t.

He could hear Yunho take a swing of the whiskey and then set the bottle down in Mingi’s lap. They traded the bottle between each other in silence for several minutes. The awkwardness in the silence filling up the space and encroaching on their boundaries. 

Mingi finally spoke. 

His cheeks were flushed from the alcohol and a slight buzz crept into his mind. “How did you end up in the boathouse anyways?”

Beside him Yunho let out a soft breathy laugh but didn’t answer right away. He stared down and played with the peeling wrapping on the bottle before he finally spoke, still refusing to look up at Mingi. “It doesn’t matter. It’s stupid.” 

More silence. More uncomfortableness. Neither boy could look at the other. 

“What about you?” Asked Yunho. “Why did you come to the boathouse?” 

Mingi grumbled to his hands. “I don’t know why I should tell you when you refuse to tell me.” 

“Yeah, I know I haven’t exactly been fair to you recently.” Yunho took another swing from the bottle. The whiskey sloshed around, already half empty. He passed it to Mingi. 

“Are you going to tell me?” The question weighed heavily in the air, asking about more than just why Yunho had gone to the boathouse. Was Yunho going to tell him why he had acted so strange? Why couldn't they stop fighting and arguing? 

When silence seemed to be the only answer Mingi was likely to get, he tipped the bottle up to his lips and took several big gulps. 

“You’re my best friend.” Yunho finally whispered. 

Mingi tipped the bottle back again. “That’s not a very good explanation.” 

“I’m trying.” Yunho reached to grab the bottle from Mingi’s hands. If he was going to attempt to say what he really felt he was going to need some more alcohol. Once he had drunk, he tried to continue. “ I- Well, we- I mean…” 

He knew the words he wanted to say, the words that had been aching to come out ever since he had realized his feelings, but now that it was actually time to say them, no words seemed sufficient enough to express his feelings wholly. 

This time Mingi tried to remain patient as he watched from the corner of his eye, Yunho’s hands fiddled with the bottle in front of him. He noticed as Yunho put the bottle down beside him and placed his hand overtop of Mingi’s. Their hands just barely illuminated in the dying embers of the crumpled newspaper.

Mingi’s eyes finally glanced up to look at Yunho. 

His eyes were wide and open, pupils dilated and shimmering in the diminishing light. 

His hand reached out across them and pressed to Mingi’s cheek. 

He leaned in. 

His lips pressed to Mingi’s. Softly, delicately. 

The world around was nothing compared to the feeling of their lips pressed together. 

And then he felt Mingi’s hands on his chest. 

And they were pushing away. 

And when his eyes opened, his vision swam with rejection. A feeling he was quick to suppress. Of course Mingi was pushing him away. Wasn’t this what he had always suspected? Had there ever been any other alternative? 

The answer was no. Of course not. 

“Wait- ” Mingi’s hand was still pushing Yunho away but his head fell forward until their foreheads touched. His eyes closed as his lips still tingled with the sensations of their kiss. “I don’t understand.” He lifted his head up to stare at Yunho. “I thought you hated me.” 

“No.” The words left Yunho’s mouth before he could even think about them. “I never hated you.” He let his hand drop from Mingi’s face. His eyes turned away. His hand reaching for the bottle of fire whiskey. He grasped in the dark, the last of the embers had gone out, leaving them in black darkness. “I-“ the words got stuck in his throat. “I’m so sorry.” He said instead.

Mingi was quick to press his hand to Yunho’s cheek, keeping him from fully turning away. 

“Wait, I didn’t know that was how you felt about me.” He quickly reached up to grasp the other side of Yunho’s face with his other hand. “Please look at me.” 

Mingi could still feel the blush in his cheeks and the buzzing in his head but none of it stopped him from pulling Yunho back to him, nuzzling under his nose and pressing their lips together once more. Softly and just as gently as Yunho’s kiss had been. 

When they pulled away Yunho gasped, his voice breaking. “What?” 

“Do you need me to say it?” 

Yunho nodded. 

“I like you too. And I forgive you.” He whispered. His lips brushed against Yunho’s as he spoke those simple small words that he too had kept so hidden from his best friend. Elation raced through his veins and into his heart as it continued to thump its erratic pace within his chest. For Mingi had kept his true feelings even more buried than Yunho had and had never let himself consider the possibility of a possibility that something would come from his seemingly unrequited feelings after all these years. 

Because from the moment he had met Yunho he had known of his attraction to this boy and was explicitly drawn to him in every way. This boy who had been so obviously not drawn to him in the same way he was. But some time in their friendship Yunho’s feelings must have changed and they both had been unaware. 

He had been so confused, sure that somehow Yunho had realized his feelings and resented him for it. Even if he never admitted that fear. 

And then they were kissing again and all thoughts flew out the window. Yunho reached his arm out to snake around Mingi’s waist and pull him closer, against his chest. His other hand reached up and wove through Mingi’s hair. 

They remained that way in bliss, they didn’t know how long nor did they care, but it was probably several hours later before they came to reality.

“How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?” Mingi asked as he reached for more newspaper and threw it out in front of him, quietly whispering “Incendio,” under his breath. 

“I wasn’t lying when I said it wasn’t that painful. The burning sensation is almost gone now.” Yunho smiled. His eyes glancing down at his leg under the blanket. 

“Now that we’re being honest with each other, are you going to tell me why you were down here in the first place?”

Yunho gave a tight lipped smile. From inside his pocket he pulled out a small crumpled note. 

Mingi chuckled and smiled down at the note. “And you don’t remember being bit?” 

“Nope.” Yunho shook his head. “What about you?” 

“Jongho. He said that San needed to see me in the boathouse. He refused to tell me anything more than that it was important.” 

“Jongho?” Yunho finally looked over at Mingi who shrugged, his shoulders scrunching up then falling down in confused resignation. 

Yunho started to laugh, and once he started it turned into a full blown laughter. He pulled the blanket aside and checked his leg. The swelling was completely gone and the two puncture holes looked like black charcoal smudges on his leg. 

“Why are you laughing?” 

“It all makes sense.” He tried to speak in between gasping laughs. “We were set up.” 

“Those little twats. I should have known.” Mingi smiled and tightened his grip on Yunho’s hand, giving a small squeeze. 

Yunho leaned his head on Mingi’s shoulder. His eyes closed contently. 

The two of them fell asleep like that, still entirely drunk. The burning embers of the newspaper reflected small dying flickers of light.


	16. Midnight Moonlight

“Oi! What are you two doin’ in ‘ere?” A loud voice boomed in the boathouse. A soft light illuminated from the end of a pink umbrella and a very large Hagrid was standing in the doorway. He was holding his umbrella like a weapon he could brandish against an animal. But as he saw Mingi and Yunho his stance relaxed and tried to straighten against the low ceiling of the boathouse. 

Mingi and Yunho startled awake and stared up at looming form lumbering in. He had to hunch over at his shoulders, his neck kinked to the side. 

Mingi pushed off the blanket and saw the empty bottle of fire whiskey roll off the blanket to come to a stop at Hagrid’s feet. “Sir.” He spoke, startled. His orange hair stuck up along the back of his head. “We were just-“ 

“I don’t want none of your excuses. I know why people come to the boathouse.” Hagrid glanced down at the empty bottle and the rumple of blankets on the floor before he looked pointedly at Mingi and Yunho. 

Mingi could feel Yunho slowly stand next to him. “Sir?” He asked. He was unsure what Hagrid was talking about, he was unaware that anyone went to the boathouses except for class. Beside him, Yunho grasped his hand. 

“Things like this happen around your age, kids get urges every time they’re alone an all.” Hagrid didn't meet their eyes as he said this. He was clearly embarrassed about what he was saying but felt it was a part of his duty as a teacher. 

Mingi’s eyes widened in shock as he finally realized what Hagrid thought he had walked in on. “Sir that wasn’t-“ Yunho squeezed his hand too tightly. “Ouch.” He mumbled and glanced at Yunho but didn’t take his hand back. 

Hagrid’s eyes glanced out of the boathouse. “It’s late now an’ if the other teachers catch you out of bed there’ll be explainin’ to do. Best be on your way before I change my mind about giving you detention.” He finally looked down at the both of them again.

“Yes sir.” Yunho mumbled and started to pull Mingi from the boathouse. Hagrid followed after them. His umbrella still held ready in his hand. 

“Next time,” Hagrid spoke when they were a couple steps ahead of him, on the front steps of the castle. “Just a, do it in the castle, you never know what creatures could come outa the forest at night.” 

Mingi tried to turn around again to clarify that they were stuck inside that boathouse not there to have sex when Yunho pressed his hand into his back, pushing him forward. Yunho’s lips are close to his ear. “Let him think it, we don’t want the others to get in any trouble.” 

“That’s if they aren’t already in trouble.” Mingi whispered back, but he stopped resisting and hurried into the castle.

*******

San, Seonghwa, and Jongho sat in the Greenhouse waiting for Wooyoung and Yeosang to show up. When an hour passed and they still didn’t show, San started to worry. Both Jongho and Seonghwa were preoccupied trying to remember every word from Jongho’s ‘prophecy’. If that’s even what it had been. San could hardly believe in it. 

San was watching the boathouse when he saw two lights start up from the corner of the window. “Guys?” He beckoned them both over to the window. “Does it look like they are headed this way?” 

Seonghwa pressed his cheek to the window. “Maybe,” he mumbled. “But we knew that Aurors would be patrolling the grounds.” 

A white mist poured out of one of the wands. It pooled on the ground until it formed a small ball that uncurled and slinked forward. A patronus. The cat like mist sprinted ahead of the Aurors as they ran into the forbidden forest and out of sight. 

“Shit,” Seonghwa pushed away from the window and started to gather up their stuff. 

“I don’t understand.” Said Jongho. 

“If patronus’ are only good for two things, messages and fending off insanely dark creatures, it begs the question. Why did they cast it?”Seonghwa stared pointedly at Jongho. 

“Oh shit.” Realization ran across Jongho’s face and they all gathered up their cloaks against the biting fall wind. 

“Wait, we can’t leave. What about Wooyoung and Yeosang?”

“Wooyoung is more than capable of handling himself and Yeosang. We however, would be in deep Hippogriff shit.” Seonghwa wheeled his arm at the elbow, beckoning them through the exit. “Lets go!” He urged quietly. 

“Yeah, well, about Mingi and Yunho?” 

“They are stuck safely in the boathouse. They’ll be fine. This really isn’t up for discussion.” Seonghwa muttered as Jongho quickly exited the room. When San still refused to move, Seonghwa grasped his robes in the middle of his back and yanked him into motion. 

Taking care not to stray too far on their way to the castle, they crept behind the tall crumbling rocks that littered their way along the path.

A loud howl had split through the air, long and low. Then the sound cut off abruptly and snarling could be heard making its way across the grounds. The trio paused as they glanced over at the forbidden forest. Above the line of trees a white glowing orb lit the grounds. A full moon. 

Before San could start towards the forbidden forest, Seonghwa had a handful of his robes again. “We can’t help. There are teachers and Aurors out that will help.” He continued to drag the other two boys to the castle. 

With a large shove, San pulled his robes out of Seonghwa’s grip and started back towards the Forbidden forest. He reached into his robes and pulled his wand from his back pocket, keeping his grip loose and ready at his side. The large, looming branches of the forest seemed to reach for him as he ran into its depths, towards where he knew Wooyoung and Yeosang were supposed to be hiding. 

The silence and darkness of the forest crept around him, swallowing everything around it. 

Behind San a branch cracked. 

“Lumos.” San whispered as he whipped toward the sound. His eyes scanned the trees as he continued to look around him slowly spinning in his spot. Leaves, fallen from branches high above, crunched under San’s sneakers. His sweater was not quite enough to keep out the chill that was slowly creeping down his neck. 

Another branch cracked on his left now, and he was quick to point his wand at the offending noise. The light from his wand made the shadows around him more ominous and alive. 

You have to find Wooyoung and Yeosang, San told himself. And so he continued, deeper into the forest. His wand ready. 

He couldn’t shake that cold chill that had settled behind his neck. That little part of him that said that something or someone was nearby. Even as he continued to walk towards the large outcropping of rock that was located off behind the boathouse. Where Wooyoung and Yeosang were supposed to be. 

That little paranoid part of San’s brain was increasing in urgency as he walked. Without realizing it, he started to walk faster, take more turns. But still that feeling did not shake.

He stopped once he reached the rocks and turned around, cornered. 

In the distance he could almost convince himself that he saw two glowing eyes. They crept closer. Still too far to see anything but the reflection coming from the light in his wand in the eyes of the animal. 

“Stupify.” San shouted into the darkness. The spell whipped towards the beast and a snarl was the only response. Sweat coated San’s hand and made his grip around his wand slick. Eyes wide, San waited for the beast to creep closer. 

Several shouts went up in the distance and San could hear yelling nearby. Apparently so did the beast. The lights of its eyes disappeared and a final growl was the last thing San heard before the shouts and crunching of branches and leaves was around him. 

“DROP YOUR WAND!” A shout came from the trees. 

“Macmillan! It’s a student! Stand down!” The familiar voice of Professor Longbottom came from the trees. 

He was storming towards San. His face was full of relief. But almost as quickly as his relief had shown it dissipated into anger. “Are you hurt? Is anyone else out here?” 

The other wizards followed Professor Longbottom out of the trees. “Neville we have to go get the others St. Mungos. Get the kid back inside.” The same voice that had spoken before speaks up. It comes from a tall man with broad shoulders and thin arms and legs. Macmillan had been his name.

“San,” Professor Longbottom said again, paying no mind to the Aurors behind him. He reached out his arms and placed them on either side of San’s shoulders. 

“No, I’m fine.” San wrenches his eyes away from where they had been staring, unfocused, out into the forest. “What does he mean? What happened?” Around them some of the Aurors left back through the trees while two stayed to protect San and Professor Longbottom, whom he was sure didn’t need protecting. 

Professor Longbottom asked him another question. “Who else came out with you?” His voice was clipped. 

San stuttered, “No one.” 

“Why were you out of the castle?” Professor Longbottom met San’s eyes and looked intently at him as if he could pull the truth out of him. 

“This hardly needs to be done here.” One of the Aurors spoke up. They were glancing around them, their wand held out. 

“If there are more students out in the forest we need to know.” 

“Wooyoung and Yeosang of Slytherin.” 

A sad look crossed over Professor Longbottom’s face. His mouth pitched downward in a frown as he let go of San. He let out a soft sigh. 

“What’s going on? Did you find them already?” 

“Yes. Let’s get inside and out of this cursed Forest.” Professor Longbottom turned to lead San back towards where he assumed the castle was located. 

The entire way back in, none of the remaining Aurors spoke. 

It wasn’t until they were crossing the grounds that San spoke again. “Sir, has something happened to Wooyoung and Yeosang? Are they okay? Who is having to go to St Mungos?”

Professor Longbottom turned to the Aurors surrounding them. “I can handle this from here.”

“Sir-“

Professor Longbottom spoke in a whisper but his voice was that of a shout. “Do you have any idea what danger is? Every second I look away from you and you’re in some sort of trouble. There is a difference between bravery and complete abandonment for your wellbeing and the wellbeing of others! People’s lives were changed, damaged, perhaps beyond repair! What were you thinking?”

“What’s going on?” San pleaded. His heart thumping wildly in his chest. 

“Tonight a werewolf made its way onto the grounds and bit an Auror.” He paused and looked at San. “They are pretty sure that one of your friends was bitten as well.”


	17. Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yo this chapter has a tw- death, ptsd

“Wh-what,” San stuttered. He had heard the words, heard them as clear as one can hear life changing news. But it stopped there. His brain refused to process what it meant, what Professor Longbottom’s words were saying. “I don’t understand.” 

Professor Longbottom placed a hand on San’s back and turned them both to face the castle, gently pushing him toward large doors. 

San let himself be moved. Let the pressure of Professor Longbottom’s hand push him forward. His mind too far away to be bothered to resist, or ask more questions. Professor Longbottom’s words looped in his head, trying to get him to finally acknowledge them. 

This couldn’t be happening. Not again, not again.

And in a single moment San wasn’t walking up the steep path to the castle at Hogwarts. In a single instant he was surrounded by fog, light flashing past in zooming bursts. He stared ahead at a man he had only heard about. The man had long black greasy hair that was cut jaggedly at his shoulders. His clothing was expensive and elaborate but nothing quite matched, a dark emerald green cloak with mustard yellow pants and a royal blue hat. But it was his face that held all of San’s attention. There was red, dark and thick, across his cheek and his eyes were yellow like violent lightning. Sunken deep into his long hallow face. 

Neither of them spoke as the man stared at San. His hand spun the handle of his wand over and over clenching and unclenching around it as if he was aching to cast a spell.

There was a shout from behind San and someone, one of the Aurors ran in front of San, their wand held straight out.

“Run! Get to saftey!” The man shouted as he blocked a spell and returned fire. 

“Where’s my brother?!” San still stood rooted to the spot, his knees shook. If he tried to takes a step they might just give way. 

“He’s with the others! GO!” The Auror shouted again. He turned to look at San and shoved him back, forcing his feet to steady him as he stumbled back. 

That push was what San’s body needed to start through the forest, the thick mists swirling around him, spells continued to shoot over his head.

Up ahead another Auror was battling a Gytrash as it stalked around him and his spells bounced harmlessly off it’s shell of fur. San turned to the right before either noticed him and started running again. His wand, clutched tightly in his hand, was completely useless. 

A streak of light zipped by so close to San’s face that he felt the energy coming from it. He looked behind him and something caught on his foot. He went tumbling to the ground, his knees pressing into something soft as his hands scraped against the stones and twigs on the ground. His wide eyes took in horrors around him. Over his head, lights shoot back and forth into the mist. Someone’s hand was on his shoulder, pulling him to his feet.

As he rose he saw the still form of a body, face down in the grass. 

The man stood in front of him once again. More blood on his clothing as he cursed the wizard who had helped San to his feet and stalked towards San. It was so strange to see so much blood. But he couldn’t remember why. 

He grabbed San from his neck and yanked him into the air. The claws that were his nails digging into San’s neck. Pain was all he could think about as his feet left the ground and the man shook him like a rag doll. 

“Where is it?” He growled. 

San shook his head, not knowing what the man wanted. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t even remember a spell to help himself.

The man threw San to the side and blocked a spell. 

From where San lay forgotten on the ground he could see the familiar shape of “Mom,” He sighed. His neck still radiated pain.

How could he get up with all this? How could he bear to move? 

They were shouting something at each other. San couldn’t concentrate on the words. His hands were grasping at his sides. One clenched around his wand again and the other lay flat against the ground. He had to concentrate to push himself up. Slowly he pushed himself to his knees. His hands steadying him against the ground. He struggled to lift his head, craning his head to look at the fight between the man and his mother. 

He watched, a scream already rising in his throat as the man cast a spell that hit her directly in the chest. The light in her eyes dimmed and she fell backwards into the grass. 

San’s vision’s blurry, something was blocking it, he couldn’t see. Blinking hurriedly San watched the man turn back towards him. His wand rising again. 

Air, he’s struggling to get air. His throat was closing up and his body was shaking as he was thrown back into the present. 

His face was wet, and his hands had reached out to grasp at Professor Longbottom’s robes. He felt his lungs crying out but he couldn’t stop it, what’s happening? 

“It’s my fault, it’s always my fault.” He gasped with the last of his air.  
Around them snow started to fall. It’s delicate shapes floating until they rested in San’s hair. 

Professor Longbottom’s eyes were wide as he shook san. 

“Breathe San!” He heard Professor Longbottom shout. But it’s far far away. As if he was shouting down a tunnel and not right next to him. 

The last thing San saw was Professor Longbottom pull out his wand and tap it gently to San’s forehead before the world darkened. 

*** 

San woke in the hospital wing. The vaulted ceiling and colored panes of glass are now more familiar to him. His eyes crusty from sleep as he took in the room around him, immediately looking for Wooyoung and Yeosang. 

Madam Pomphry was standing at the end of his bed and she sighed as he woke. Her long red and white robes sweeping across the floor as she walked over to the small office at the back of the room and started to write something out. Once she was done she tapped the letter with her wand and it folded itself into an origami crane that flew off down the hall. 

With unhurried steps, Madam Pomphry walked up to where San lay and sat at the stool perched next to him.

“Where is everyone?” The hall around them was empty, even the other beds. “Where is Wooyoung and Yeosang?” His voice comes out horse and raw.

She tapped a bowl on the side table next to him that he hadn’t noticed and steam started to rise from it. She passed San the hot bowl. He eyed it skeptically until she sighed. “It’s just broth,” she finally said. 

He took a tentative sip and Madam Pomphry watched. Most of the bowl was empty when Madam Pomphry spoke again. 

“After the war,” Madam Pomphry whispered. “Many children came to me. Broken and shattered after what had happened here. Many did not return. Most of them were like you.” She turned to smile at him before looking back out the window, at nothing in particular. 

San finished the broth and with a wave of her wand it was full again. 

“Drink.” She insisted. “If you do not sort through what happened to you, the memories will only get worse.” 

San set the bowl down. “I don't- “ 

“San Choi!” Professor Mcgonagall came whirling into the room.

San was fully expecting the talking to he had gotten from the other teachers. But she folded one hand over her other wrist in front of her and sighed. “What are we going to do with you.” 

“Professor-“

She held up a hand to silence him. “I have always acknowledged bravery even when it was done out of stupidity but you shouldn’t have even been out on the grounds in the first place. Never mind that you had almost a quarter of the exchange program out there with you. Don’t try to deny it. Wooyoung already confessed the whole thing.” 

“He’s okay??” San sat up suddenly. His throat was already feeling better. 

“He is. But he and your other friend Yeosang were taken to St. Mungo’s.” 

“Why?” Panic rose in him once more. “ I thought you said they were okay.” 

Magonagall came to sit at the end of San’s bed. Emerald green robes and pointed hat making her look as regal as headmistress she was. 

“We don’t know much.” She pressed her lips together grimly. “I only got to speak to Wooyoung as they were taking him off the grounds to take the three of them to St. Mungos.” 

“One of the Aurors found them in the forest when the three of them were attacked. When they were found, Wooyoung was crouching over the other two. He was unhurt but the other two.” She paused. “The other two were covered in blood. It was unclear of the extent of their injuries when they left. Wooyoung swears it was a Werewolf. He was taken to St. Mungos to assure there was nothing wrong with him as well.” 

San closed his eyes. Wooyoung was alright, he thought to himself. But Yeosang, and the Auror. They were hurt. And by a Werewolf. 

San remembered the eyes he had seen in the forest. The large beast that had prowled toward him. He repressed a shiver as he opened his eyes again and asked, “How long have I been asleep?” 

“It is only the morning after.”

San’s brain was flipping through the rest of the night. He forced himself not to think about the memory, it was too painful, too raw. But one final image caught his attention. The snow. It had snowed. 

Spinning around, San looked out the window, it was still snowing, white slowly blanketing the grounds outside. 

Words came to him, almost forgotten from the night before. Could it really have all happened in the same night? It felt so long ago. 

“The one you seek is closer than you realize  
When the snow stays he shall arrive”

It was unclear who was the one he seeked, but as San watched the snow fall, his heart filled with a sort of dread. It seemed that things were not yet done. Things were just beginning.


	18. Baiting

San stayed in the Hospital wing for three more days. Some of the time he talked with Madam Pomphry, sometimes about the war. She never pushed him to talk about anything he didn’t want to. But most of the time San slept. His mind raced through dreams of no consequence. Bringing him in and out of a half aware sleep.

He saw the faces of his friends. Mingi and Yunho together. Seonghwa looked worried, as he seemed to most days. His eyebrows clenched together. Jongho smiled down. Yeosang and Hongjoong looked at him as well as the members of the gryffindor quidditch team. The faces were so fleeting San couldn’t be sure they weren’t just part of another dream. And the face he saw most was Wooyoung’s. His bright brown eyes gleaming with excitement, or furrowed in concentration. His black raven hair, so silken soft. His deft fingers wrapped around his wand. 

The snow had melted soon after it had landed on the ground, making the grass and grounds outside wet and slick before the nightfall that froze it all to crystal frost across every surface. Not quite cold enough in the day for the things to stay frozen; the cycle continued all three days. 

None of his friends had been allowed to visit. Madam Pomphry claimed what he really needed from everyone was space and quiet, plus most of the time he was sleeping anyways. Soon she was giving him the ok to go back to classes. Although, San refused to leave without her promise to tell him anything she found out about Yeosang and Wooyoung’s return. 

They didn’t really explain why they kept him in the hospital wing, but he figured it had something to do with what happened to him after he found out about Wooyoung and Yeosang. His memories. The bite of those images stung him almost physically. He couldn’t help but shy away from anything that brought them to the front of his mind.

Finally San walked down the steps of the Grand Staircase. Glad to finally be back. He heard the soft footfalls of the other students around him as they all headed down to the great hall for breakfast. In front of him two seventh year girls whispered about a handsome ravenclaw boy in their charms class. One of the girls was telling the other that she “just has to get the courage to ask him out!” While the other replied “But he never goes out with anyone! He only hangs out with the other exchange students.”

San hurried past them and towards the entrance hall. He could see the Hufflepuffs coming up from a side corridor on the other side of the hall. And next to it a staircase coming up lead the Slytherins into the hall as well. 

Everyone was converging into the Great Hall. San stopped along the wall that separated the entrance hall from the great hall. His eyes scanned for the familiar images of his friends.

Inside, San could already see Mingi and Yunho talking with a very red faced Jongho as he waved his arms around. Thankfully it looked like Mingi and Yunho seemed to be over whatever fight they had been having. The two of them sat side by side, their shoulders pressed together as they listened to whatever Jongho was saying. He was eventually going to ask them how they ended up escaping, but right now it was enough to see them safe. 

San saw Seonghwa descend the stairs and waved resolutely at him. He immediately made his way over to stand by San. 

“Glad to see you’re still amongst the living.” He smiled down at San. He only stood slightly taller than San but it was enough of a difference for San to have to look up at him. He wasn’t as tall as Mingi or Yunho. Seonghwa brushed his hand through his hair, pulling it back behind his ear where it just barely fit, tucked out of the way. 

San pressed his lips together in a grimace and looked at Seonghwa. 

“Are the others alright?” Seonghwa asked. “The teachers won’t tell us anything.” 

“I’m not-“ San started. But he couldn’t finish. “I hope so. They haven’t told me much either.” 

Seonghwa patted San’s shoulder. “Meet me in the library after classes. We need to discuss what Jongho said. And you can tell me what happened after you ran off.” Seonghwa only stayed long enough to get a grumbling okay out of San before he headed into the great hall to sit at the Ravenclaw table. 

San could just see one of the Gryffindor girls he had heard talking earlier walk up to him and ask him a question before he turned his attention away. 

San rolled his eyes as he looked over the now full entrance hall. His feet still hesitant to go sit down at the Gryffindor table where Hongjoong was sure to be waiting to chew him out. 

“I hope your explanation of what happened is better than Seonghwa’s.” Said a voice behind San. He whipped his head around to see Hongjoong staring at him with raised eyebrows and his arms crossed over his chest. 

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t supposed to be this big of a deal.” San mumbled sheepily. He reached one hand up to rub the back of his neck. 

“Oh, I’m sure it wasn’t. I’m actually more surprised that Seonghwa went along with it.” Hongjoong sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets, he seemed content to just stand and wait for San to come into the great hall with him. 

San felt bad for excluding Hongjoong from their recent antics. But Hongjoong would not have let them carry on and do such reckless things, but obviously that wouldn’t have been a bad thing in hindsight. He shrugged and they started towards the Great Hall. 

The Ceiling of the Great hall was a mass of fog. The candles above were almost enveloped into the mists. San sat down and started to heap food onto his plate. Across from him several members of the quidditch team smiled back at him. 

“Oi, Choi. If you could stop getting into so much trouble maybe we could actually play a game of quidditch once in a while.” Sean Blackburne, one of the gryffindor beaters joked. 

Alice Warren took a seat next to San. “Yeah, I mean we might just have to forfeit the match with slytherin on Saturday because our Seeker has managed to wind up in the Hospital wing again.” 

They all smiled and laughed as San held up his hands in mock defeat. 

“So spill the beans, why were you in the Hospital wing this time?” Jeremy asked. The rest of the team members gathered closer, along with Hongjoong. All of them eager to hear San’s story.

A large group of Slytherins made their way down the tables on their way to the Slytherin table. They all laughed at something and grinned mischievously across the hall. One of the slytherin’s spotted San. He tapped his friends carelessly and they all started to saunter over to where San sat. 

“I- Well-“ San flustered. 

“Hey flower.” The one who had first spotted San spoke.

The entire group of Gryffindors turned away from San towards the Slytherins. Everyone but San, who laid his hands flat on the table. His fingertips turned white with pressure as he pushed down on the table to steady himself. Refusing to acknowledge the baiting of the group behind him. 

Christopher Danne smiled as he reached past San and grabbed an apple from their table. His hands were now shoved deep into his pockets and his use of Wooyoung’s familiar nickname unnerved San. Only Wooyoung called him that. “I heard a story about how you got that streak in your hair. See my boy Wooyoung said something funny.” 

San finally turned towards the slytherins at the sound of Wooyoung’s name. “What did he say?” His tone was just tolerant of whatever the slytherins had to say. 

“He said you were too stupid to know how to do any defensive spells and couldn’t even defend yourself against a knome.” Danne turned and smiled as the other Slytherins cackled around him. 

On instinct, one of San’s fists clenched tightly, the other reached down into his pocket to his wand. He could show them all the defensive spells he knew. 

A large hand placed on San’s shoulder. He looked up into the face of his quidditch captain. 

“Don’t respond San.” Ben said gruffly, his voice low. “They are trying to get you in trouble so you get removed from the match on Saturday. It’s just another one of their dirty slytherin tricks.” He turned to the slytherins, folding his arms over his chest as he looked down on all of them.

Deep breath in and another out. San concentrated on lessening his fiery temper. Behind him, Hongjoong was ready to pull San back. San turned back towards the table. 

“Eh, the delicate flower boy has someone else fighting his battles.” A chorus of laughter is his reply. “Just like when his mom died. I guess.”

San could take a lot of things being said about him, but the moment someone brought up his mother. That’s when he blew a gasket. It brought back those horrible memories, the one especially that he had tried and tried to hard to bury deep in his mind where he would never think of it. That same memory of his mothers face before the spell struck seemed to haunt him. He stood, turning and stepping over the bench. His feet carried him forward. His wand already clenched in one of his fists. He knew they were wrong and just spouting lies, but his brain couldn’t bother to tell his body not to pull back his fist.

Ben was already grabbing him and pulling him along. “Don’t let them get to you Choi.” He said in San’s ear. To the Slytherin’s he said. “It looks as if we’ve caught Professor Longbottom’s attention. So I’d be careful what you did or said next.” 

They all looked meaningfully at the head table where Professor Longbottom was indeed watching the group of Slytherins and Gryffindors cautiously. 

His eyebrow raised and his head turned slightly toward them. His own slight acknowledgement that he indeed knew and saw what was going on. 

“So why don’t you just run along back to the creepy dungeons you crawl out of every morning?” Ben folded his arms and stared down at the slytherins.

“Filthy Bloodtraitor.” Spat one of the slytherins before they turned, with one last glance at the head table, and sulked back to their table. 

Ben held out his arm on instinct as several Gryffindors stood in indignation. His palm was lowered as he pushed back, signaling for the other Gryffindors to sit down. Without responding, Ben turned around and sat down on Hongjoong’s other side. 

The rest of the Gryffindors sat down around him. 

“Merlin, Danne deserves to be hit with a good curse or two to the back of the head.” Sean muttered. 

“Yeah, well there’s nothing we can do about that except beat them in the quidditch tournament. Which means-“ Ben paused to lean forward and look pointedly at San. “No one can get in any trouble. Especially you San. Professor Longbottom might take you off the team if something else happens.” 

San nodded solemnly. He understood. 

Classes that day passed by in a blur. San wasn’t able concentrate on anything despite the pressing need to catch up in all of his classes. His mind knew that the work was there but his mind would rather be occupied with more meaningless things. He replayed that night in his head. Trying to figure out where things went wrong. Where he could have changed things. 

Then he started to blame himself. 

By the time San was heading to the library, he was … well to say it kindly he wasn’t feeling much of anything. His body had shut off the feelings before they overwhelmed him sometime in Muggle History. 

He could see his group of friends waving him to one of the long tables hidden in the back. But for the first time since he had come to Hogwarts, a smile didn’t instantly place itself on his face. 

He waited for a small ghost with a camera to pass in front of him before he continued to the table and sat in between Mingi and Hongjoong. 

“I’ve told them everything. Everyone is completely up to date.” Seonghwa stated matter-of-factly. “Well everything that I know. What happened after you ran into the forest?” 

They all stared expectantly at San as they waited for him to explain what happened to him and why he had stayed in the Hospital wing for so long without contact with anyone. 

“I-“ San started, flustered once more. But these were his friends, if he couldn’t tell them, who could he tell? Wooyoung, he could tell Wooyoung. “I ran into the forest and got chased by a creature when the Aurors found me. I had some bad injuries and so they kept me in the Wing.” San finished in a single breath, getting the words out as fast as he could. The memories still rubbed raw against his mind, sharp, making him wince just slightly. 

“What about Wooyoung and Yeosang?” Jongho’s eyes were full of wishful pleading. Hoping that San would give good news even though it seemed so unlikely. “They’re okay right?” 

“I don’t know.” San answered truthfully. His heart sank. He wished for nothing more than to have Wooyoung here. 

“I hope you guys didn’t just sit and mope around while I was gone.”


	19. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ive been able to get chapters out about once a month and i cant say whether updates will continue to be slow, i was going through some pretty bad health issues the past couple months and Idk how much longer it will continue. But! To make up for it i have given you a longer chapter. Kisses love a of you guys for reading this and i hope you continue and I’ve been talking for too long plz enjoy

The entire group of boys fell silent and turned around as fast as they could. Standing there, with one arm in a sling was Wooyoung.

The guys around San stood from the table and started toward Wooyoung. All of them talking at once as they raced to talk to him. 

San was rooted to his chair. His body frozen as he stared at Wooyoung.

He couldn’t help it as his eyes raked over Wooyoung. His hair was the same, dark circles under his eyes the color of crushed blueberries. And he was staring right back at San. San quickly tore his eyes from Wooyoung’s gaze and looked over the rest of him. He was wearing different clothes, not his robes. The letters AC/DC were printed in big letters across the front with some faded picture beneath. His arm was bandaged in white, a similar material had been used to loop around his arm and tie behind his neck. He wore dark black jeans with several rips in the knees. 

Wooyoung stood there and as San’s eyes made their way back up to his face. 

“Shhhhhhh!’ Several people around them whispered as they all remembered that it wasn’t the best idea to have a joyous celebration in the middle of the library. 

Hongjoong’ s head whipped around as he tried to look for the familiar head of Madam Pince come to tell them all to get out of her library. When she didn’t appear they all turned back to Wooyoung and continued speaking, in quieter tones this time. 

Wooyoung had’nt taken his eyes off of San yet. They both just stood there ten feet apart from each other as the rest of the guys reached Wooyoung and patted his back or pulled him into half a hug. 

The distance seemed immeasurable. Seemed like it was still impossible for Wooyoung to be here. Even though everything in San was telling him to get up and go to Wooyoung, his body still stayed frozen to his chair. His eyes glued to Wooyoung. 

“What happened to you?” Asked Mingi. His question finally got Wooyoung’s attention and the pull that was keeping their eyes locked broke as he glanced at the other guys. 

His smile, while happy, surrounded by all his friends lingered from face to face, didn't quite meet his eyes. 

“Yeah, San doesn't tell us anything.” Hongjoong chuckled. 

“San?” Wooyoung glanced back at San, alarm clear in his eyes. “What do you mean?” San watched as Wooyoung’s eyes roved over him. 

“I’m- I’m fine.” He stuttered out. “Are you-“ 

“Madam Phompry made him stay in the Hospital Wing for three days.” Said Jongho to Wooyoung. He reached out and pulled Wooyoung by his good arm to the table where San still sat. The rest followed and took up their places around the table so that Wooyoung was sitting in next to Jongho and Seonghwa, across the table from San. 

Wooyoung seemed to leave the subject of San alone for now but his eyes still stared at San and San knew he would have more questions later. 

“So spill the beans. What happened that night.” Yunho asked. “I mean besides locking Mingi and I in the boathouse almost all night.” He chuckled. “Wait before you begin I have to know. The bite, How?” 

Wooyoung gave a half grin. He released a soft huff of air as he started talking, “That was all Yeosang, he realized the recipe for Weasleys Bite Bougeys prank candy and made some adjustments.” He shrugged and his smile grew just a little bigger, he glanced at San, then over to Mingi and Yunho. “I’m glad our plan seems to have worked.” 

The rest of the guys spoke up as San watched the small smile fade from Wooyoung’s face, his eyes serious once more. 

“So what happened after you left the boat house?” Asked Seonghwa. 

“We had planned to track further back into the Forest until we got to the rock outcropping near Hagrid’s house and once we knew the coast was clear we were going to head to the greenhouse where we would meet the others. We didn’t want to draw too much attention and have us all head to the greenhouse at the same time. We got to the rocks and were on our way out of the forest when we started to hear some growling. It was coming from behind us and so we started to run. We ran right into one of the Aurors. He was pissed. His face was turning red and he was yelling at the top of his lungs. We were trying to tell him that something was chasing us, when it jumped out and bit into the Auror’s shoulder. It tore at him and only let go once the Auror was on the ground. I jumped forward and tried to hex the creature even though I knew it wasn’t going to do any good.” 

Jongho gulped and asked, “Because it was a werewolf?” 

“Yeah.” Werewolf’s were almost entirely immune or impenetrable during a full moon. It usually would take six or seven well placed stunning spells to take down a werewolf. One or two would just piss it off and draw its attention. 

“We stood over the Auror, shouting for help just trying to keep the beast away. It kept pacing forward and trying to-“ Wooyoung’s words halted and stumbled. “Something must have spooked him though because one minute he was pacing around me and the next his nose went high up in the air before he bound off into the forest.” There was a grim set to Wooyoung’s face. His eyes stared down at the grains of oak of the table. 

“What about Yeosang?” 

Wooyoung put his elbow on the table and let his head rest in his palms before he pulled his face out, his fingers pulling at his skin. “When we were trying to protect the Auror, the beast tried to pounce on us, he managed to claw Yeosang.” 

“No!” Everyone gasped. 

“He’s still in St. Mungo’s recovering. They say he shouldn’t have to worry about a full transformation but they want to keep him until the next full moon just to make sure.” Wooyoung sighed. He still hadn’t looked up from the table. Both of his hands were now clasped in front of him, his fingers twisting and pulling. 

“Do his parents know?”Hongjoong asked cautiously. 

“Yeah they portkey’ed in yesterday. They wanted to pull him out of Hogwarts but when I left Yeosang was trying to convince them to let him stay.” 

“Dang.”

“What’s happened while we were gone?” Wooyoung looked around at the group. His eyes shone just slightly as he silently begged his friends to change the subject. 

“Jongho seems to have an affinity for Divination. We think that he gave San a Prophecy.” Mingi started. 

Seonghwa continued, “It seemed to follow all of the markers of a true prophecy. So I figured we would treat it as such until proven otherwise.”

In the hospital wing San had had more than enough time to think on the ‘prophecy’. And the more he thought about it the more ridiculous it seemed. He wasn’t the chosen one, he wasn’t Harry Potter. He was just a part of one of the many casualties of war. 

“Read it to me.” Wooyoung was saying. His eyes on the paper laid out in front of several texts in front of Seonghwa. 

““The one you seek is closer than you realize  
When the snow stays he shall arrive  
Walking through Aconite, carrying Sweet Briar  
Brains and brawn will not help you  
He must bathe in eternal fire”

Seonghwa read out loud. “Can you make any sense of it? We just started looking at it. The part about the snow staying seems pretty clear. The snow has melted the past couple days, and no doom so it must be talking about when the snow doesn’t melt.”

“Or this isn’t a real prophecy.” San muttered under his breath. Everyone either ignored him or didn’t hear his sarcastic remark. 

“No, that part seems pretty clear.” Wooyoung agreed with Seonghwa, his eyes glanced at San again, his eyes once more roving over him. As if he expected to suddenly find San injured. “Sweet Briar sounds familiar, I think it's a flower of some sort. And ‘ walking through Aconite’. That must be a plant as well. What if it’s talking about a potion?” 

“Bathe in eternal fire sounds like a potion thing too.” Said Mingi. 

“If Yeosang was here he would know what they were. He could help.” Wooyoung paused and used his forefinger to push his bottom lip in between his teeth. His eyes scanned over the prophecy back and forth. 

“I can go look for a book on magical herbs.” Seonghwa offered. 

“Who is the one he seeks?” Wooyoung asked again. 

They all looked up from the page to San. He had demurely set his chin on the back of his hand, leaned down on the desk as he waited for them all to stop chasing this silly idea that it was actually a prophecy. He didn’t move his head as his shoulders rose and fell, shrugging. He wasn’t really looking for anyone. 

Other than Mortem.

“Could be Mortem.” He admitted reluctantly. He didn’t want to play into their delusions of prophecy. 

The rest of the group stared at San, their jaws slack and open. 

“Mortem is coming here?” Squeaked Yunho, quickly clearing his voice. 

“No.” San dismissed it all. “Because this isn’t a real prophecy. And even if it was, it doesn’t mean it was about me.” He stood and grabbed his book bag that was sitting next to him on the floor. “We’re going to be late for dinner. And I have quidditch practice afterwards so I won’t be able to join you guys later to continue this special meeting about how doomed I might be.” 

San turned and stalked out of the library. They were taking what Jongho said too seriously. Trouble constantly found him, like he had some magnetic pull and his friends were just asking for more of it to head his way. 

The anger that flared in San’s veins was unfamiliar yet comforting, he didn’t need to think about his memories to feel angry, he didn’t need to feel guilty for putting his friends in danger to feel angry. Getting irritated and angry was just so much easier. 

San found himself in the empty classroom that Wooyoung and he used for practices. He threw his bookbag against the wall and summoned the large dummy they had been using for practices. It stood in the middle of the room, a large bullseye painted in red across its chest. 

San pointed his wand at the dummy and started to cast spells in rapid fire. 

“You’ve improved a lot,” a voice whispered from the doorway. 

San whipped around, his wand halfway raised at the person in the door. He was gasping in air and his lungs expanded quickly as his brain processed who was standing in the doorway. 

Wooyoung stepped in and closed the door behind him. They both stood, staring at each other from across the space. The only noise was San’s heavy breathing. “I had a good teacher.” Finally he lowered his wand and turned back to the dummy which was now missing an arm and burning from its shoulder. 

“Agumenti.” San muttered, water flew from the tip of his wand and doused the dummy. “Repairo.” The Dummy looked good as new once he was done. He turned back to where Wooyoung was staring at him leaning against the closed door. 

He pushed off the door and walked toward San until they were right in front of each other. Cautiously, he reached up the hand that wasn’t in a sling and touched San’s arm. His fingers trailed up to San’s shoulder, his eyes tracing the progress. 

“Are you okay?” His voice was rough, halted like he couldn’t get the words out.

San could feel a laugh bubble out of his chest, the sound, while inherently happy sounded hollow and dark. He yanked his arm out of Wooyoung’s reach. “I told you earlier. I’m fine.” He turned back to the dummy. 

“You’re obviously not fine.” 

“Yes I am. I’m not injured. I’m not sick. I’m fine.” With every sentence, he jabbed his wand toward the ground. 

“What happened?” Wooyoung was close to him again, his voice whispered over San’s shoulder. “Talk to me.” 

“Oh, like you talked to me?” San lashed out. He ground his teeth together. He had worried and stressed about Wooyoung for the past three days and now that they were finally face to face they were fighting. This was not the reunion he had wanted. He tried to clear his mind and took several deep breaths. 

“I-“ he began. But his mind was blank, he hadn’t been able to talk about this with the other guys and he wasn’t sure he was able to talk about it with Wooyoung yet either. “How did you get hurt?” He changed the subject. 

Wooyoung took a deep breath and began, “When the werewolf lunged at Yeosang, I tried to block it, but it was too strong. The force of it hit my block and knocked me back. I broke my arm when I hit a nearby tree. My bones were sticking out of my arm. Broken in three places. So they decided to take the bones out and regrow them, and then they fixed where the bones had gone through my arm. I’ve still got another day before I have use of my arm.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

Wooyoung shrugged. “It wasn’t your fault.” 

“But it was!” The words were out of San through clenched teeth. San gripped his wand tightly, the feeling of the wood biting into his skin. 

“You couldn’t have changed what happened.” Wooyoung reasoned. 

“I could if I was never here!” San shouted with finality. 

One second they were yelling at each other and the next there was silence. They both stared at each other, Wooyoung’s eyes were open and wide. His eyes darting across San’s face. 

“I don’t want you to not be here.” Wooyoung stepped closer to San. He reached his hand out to San, one hand clasped San’s sleeve in his fist as he pulled San closer. Once they were toe to toe, Wooyoung released San’s sleeve and reached to pull San into a tight hug. 

It was only as San buried his head into Wooyoung’s shoulder that he realized that tears were tracking their way down his face. He gasped out a sob and his arms reached out to grasp around Wooyoung, his hands fisting in the soft material of his shirt. His wand clattered to the ground, forgotten. 

He couldn’t explain the relief he suddenly felt to feel Wooyoung here with him, finally. He could be sure that he wasn’t dreaming or imagining it. He could feel the warmth of Wooyoung’s skin under his shirt and his hand across San’s back as he traced circles into his spine. 

“What happened?” Wooyoung finally asked again once San had calmed down.   
“I can’t-“ He gasped. His breath hitched again. He tried to pull out of their hug but Wooyoung kept his arm around San’s back. “I can’t talk about it.” His hands fell to his sides as he looked away. Guilt still running through his veins. 

“Okay, okay.” Wooyoung whispered. His hand moved from San’s back. Up to his shoulder and it traced up San’s neck until it rested below San’s jaw. His hand turned San’s face to face him again. “I’ll always be here.” 

“When they found me, they wouldn’t tell me anything. I thought- I thought-“ San took a deep breath. His hand reached up to take Wooyoung’s hand and pull it from his face. Still grasping it in his hand. 

“I know. It’ll all be okay.”


	20. Chocolate and Quidditch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I give you a PACKED chapter and you only had to wait a week whaaaaaa
> 
> Much loves to you all ❤️

Wooyoung walked into the Library and he looked over to where Madam Pince was shelving books against the back wall. Her wand levitated the books as they returned to their spots. 

“Hello,” he said once he got close enough. “I’ve been sent here for my detention.” 

Madam Pince turned to him and smiled. “Wonderful, you can join the other one over by the history section. Start there and then make your way over to the magical creatures section. Mr. Seonghwa can surely show you what to do. 

Wooyoung turned and headed back into the Library. Seonghwa was standing high up on a ladder as he approached. 

“I was told to find you for my detention. It seems we’ll be serving our detentions together.” He said with a smile.

“Well, there could be worse people to spend several shelving books with.” Chuckled Seonghwa as he stepped down from the ladder. “The cart is over there, we have to do it all by hand. Madam Pince says it's not punishment if we get to use magic. But it’s not that bad. The books are sorted by publication date and then by author’s last name.” Seonghwa was already walking back to the cart as he explained to Wooyoung. “Pretty simple. Got it?” 

“Got it.” Said Wooyoung. 

An hour passed by as they worked and shelved books, slowly moving out of the history section to the charms section.

“Can I ask you a question?” Wooyoung spoke up finally as he placed a worn green book on kitchen charms back on the shelf second from the bottom. 

“Yeah, what’s up?’ 

“It’s about San.”

Seonghwa patiently waited for Wooyoung to continue. 

Wooyoung traced his hand along the spine of one of the books on the shelf in front of him. “I don’t know how to help him. He’s dealing with so much and we don’t even know half of it.” 

“What are you most worried about?” 

Wooyoung glanced around him, nervous. He didn’t want them overheard. “Sometimes San just- there’s a darkness he carries with him, not evil, but it’s empty, hollow. He retreats back into his head and then his eyes go dark. When I got back from St Mungos it was especially bad. He looked like- like an empty glass Bottle that had been left in the sun for too many years and was just one more day away from breaking.” 

He went back to the cart and picked up the closest book. “I’m scared. I don’t like seeing that part of him and knowing that there’s nothing I can do to help.”

“So we help him anyway we can.” 

“I’ve tried, he barely lets me in. He says he can’t.” He remembered San in the empty classroom, eyes fracturing as he stumbled over his words, trying to get them out but unable to speak still. 

“The only thing we can do right now is help him with what we know. And we know that the prophecy is our best chance.” Seonghwa paced away from him and searched for the correct placement of a specific book. 

“You’re right. Have you found out anything?” Wooyoung waited with the book in his hand for Seonghwa to speak. 

“I was looking at sweet briar and Acontie. Sweet briar is a wild rose, I’m not sure what that’s supposed to tell us. Why would Mortem be carrying wild roses?” Seonghwa came closer, the books they were supposed to be shelving forgotten. 

“Hmm… What about Aconite? Did you find out what it is?” Wooyoung lifted his hand and bit down on his fingernail. 

“You’re not going to like this one.” Said Seonghwa.

“What is it?” 

“Aconite is another name for Wolfsbane.” 

“Shit. Fuck. Fuck.” Wooyoung’s head fell into his hand, his fingers pulling through his hair. It was no coincidence that the werewolf was in the forbidden forest the same night that Jongho gave San the prophecy. 

“I know it’s bad but we still have no idea what that means. Why would Mortem be walking through Wolfsbane?” 

“I don’t know, I don’t know and I hate that.” Wooyoung pulled out the small slip of paper he had written the prophecy on, it was wrinkled and folded so many times it threatened to break apart. Wooyoung continued to pull it out and study it whenever he had a free moment. The words were basically etched in his brain. 

He muttered the words, almost a quiet chant. “The one you seek is closer than you realize, that means Mortem. When the snow stays he shall arrive, it's the middle of winter, that could be any second.” 

“Winter break starts next week.” Said Seonghwa

Wooyoung spoke in an affirmative tone. “I’m not leaving.” 

“Neither am I. I’ll talk to the others. See if they will stay too.” 

“You boys better not be slacking or I’ll have you back here tomorrow.” Said Madam Pince as she rounded the corner. 

Both Wooyoung and Seonghwa turned back to the books. Silence fell back between them as they continued their detention. 

***

Saturday morning was freezing cold. Frost covered everything. The match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor was looking like it was going to be done in less than ideal weather as it just seemed to be getting colder and colder as the morning continued. 

When Everyone was on the field, Ben reminded the team several times to place warming charms on themselves, and to continue through the game. It wouldn’t be good if anyone got frostbite or fingers got stuck to broomsticks. 

San waved nervously at Jongho and Yunho across the pitch. It was strange to be going against his friends but at least he and everyone else knew that todays game would be entirely based on talent. No dirty tricks at todays game. 

He waited for Yunho to walk up and grasp hands with Ben before everyone kicked up into the air. Professor Grynolve blew her whistle and the trunk that held the four balls opened and all the balls soared into the air. 

Higher and higher San flew. His eyes trained downwards to the game below, not really watching. His eyes glanced over the field for the glint of gold. He kept glancing over to the Hufflepuff Seeker, he didn’t know their name either, but the large number seven across the back of their robes signified them as the seeker. Yunho perched in front of the Hufflepuff goalpost. Slowly drifting left and right around the three silver posts. 

San watched as Gryffindor scored once, twice. Then Hufflepuff shot and was blocked by Jeremy, their keeper. 

Teddy Lupin’s voice was shouting over the field. His commentary was so good that San let his eyes wander from the game, his ears still keeping score as he searched for the snitch. 

He heard Hufflepuff score. 

Something gold glinted near the ravenclaw stands. San squinted his eyes, trying to see if it had just been a trick of the light. 

No there it was again, closer to the teacher’s stands this time. San shot down towards the stands. 

In his ears he could still hear Teddy Lupin. “It looks as if San Choi, Gryffindor seeker has seen the snitch! Oh Elizabeth Bafort has the Quaffle. She passes it to Riland Sackitt, the youngest chaser on the Gryffindor team is only a 3rd year. And he shoots, and it’s a miss. A nice block from Hufflepuff Keeper Yunho Jung. It looks as if Yves Trynos of Hufflepuff is hot on the trail of San Choi and the snitch.” 

San tried to tune it all out as he urged his broom forward in a burst of speed. The winged gold ball was just ahead of him, flitting away as soon as he got close. 

Suddenly the snitch took a sharp dip down and San yanked his broom to keep following in it’s path. Behind him he could feel the Hufflepuff seeker swoop behind him, unable to take the sharp downward sweep. 

One hand reached out, he was close enough now. The snitch leveled out and San followed quickly on it. He let one foot hook around the top of his broom to help pull up his broom as the snitch shot forward again. 

He could do it. He was almost there. In the background he can hear the game continue but the only thing on his mind is the Snitch. Right there in front of him. San stretches his reached out hand, leaning far over the front of his broom.

There! He grabbed it and it's there in his hand! He’s got it! The game finished as San slowed down on his broom, the snitch held triumphant in his hand. 

As he landed the rest of his team landed around him, they hugged him, whooping and hollering. He was floating, holding the snitch so tightly that his fingers were white against its bright yellow gold. 

His team let go of him and Yunho and Jongho walked up. Yunho shook Ben’s hand. “That was a good game Emmett.” 

Ben laughed. “Always a pleasure.” 

Jongho walked over to San. “That was awesome. The way you pulled out of that dive.” 

“Yeah well I saw you hitting those bludgers. There was a moment where you almost got the play.” San chuckled. 

They all talked amongst themselves for a moment, until San spotted a herd of green started to make its way across the field. 

All of the Gryffindor team as well as Yunho and Jongho braced themselves as a small group of slytherins, mostly members of the quidditch team, walked up to their group. 

“You know I was talking to some of the Slytherin team and we’re sorry for how we acted. We wanted to offer a truce, and chocolates.” Daane smiled at the group gathered on the field. He headed the group and was wearing a bright emerald scarf that wrapped several times around him against the harsh cold of the December air. 

The whole group just stared at Daane like he had grown a second head or started speaking parseltongue. 

“No thanks.” Said Ben as he began to turn back to the gryffindors. 

“Like you said earlier in the week Emmett, the professors are watching, we wouldn’t want them to think that you’re rejecting an offer of friendship from another house. A little bit of interhouse peace if you will.” 

Ben’s eyes glanced up at the stands where their group had indeed caught the eye of several professors who talked with each other as they stared down at the field. 

San looked up as well and saw Professor Longbottom absent from the group of teachers. He had watched the game but must have already started on the path to the castle once the game ended. No matter that Gryffindor had just secured their first win. At least the other professors were witnesses to this odd peace offering if anything were to happen to their group it would not be hard to convince the teachers of what happened. 

Ben was the first to reach out and cautiously take a small piece of chocolate that rested on the top of the pile. He stared at Daane and the other slytherin’s without eating it. 

“It’s not poisoned.” Daane chuckled. He reached for the chocolate and took a piece himself, quickly popping the piece in his mouth. He chewed with his hands reaching out at his sides as if to say that the whole situation was no big deal. Once he swallowed he grabbed the chocolates from the other slytherins and pushed it forwards again, trying to get Alice to take a piece. 

“I took a piece, that’s enough.” Said Ben.

“Nonsense, the house elves spent so much time making these chocolates, it would be such a shame and a waste if no one got to taste them.”

Alice hesitantly took a piece and handed the small tin around the group.

San stood off to the side with Yunho and Jongho. When the tin came to them, Daane nodded for Yunho and Jongho to each take a piece as well. 

Ben took a bite out of his piece and nodded slightly once nothing happened to him as nothing had happened to Daane. 

Ben ate the rest of the chocolate in his hand, a small nod let the rest of their group know that it was okay to ingest the chocolate. All of the people in the group smiled cautiously at the slytherins and ate their chocolates. 

The slytherins all started to reach into the tin and grab a piece of chocolate as well before turning away until only Daane and his friend were left facing the group. “Have fun celebrating your victory.” Was all Daane said before he too turned away and walked back to the castle. 

“That was the strangest interaction I’ve ever had in my life.” Riland stared at the slytherins that slowly exited the field, his face contorted in disbelief.

“Someone pinch me to make sure this isn’t some weird fever dream.” Sean agreed. He thrust out his forearm for someone to pinch but no one took him up on the offer. 

Riland pushed Sean’s arm away as he said, “If you’re dreaming then what am I?”

“I never thought I’d see a day when the slytherins ever did something nice.” Jeremy shook his head and turned Elizabeth. 

“It still seems too strange.” Ben muttered. He didn’t say it but he was sure that the slytherins had another reason for approaching them with the chocolates. Some scheme was in place and all they could do was play along before they discovered what was wrong. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the sense of foreboding in exchange for the excitement and revelry of their win. 

“Team wash up, Victory party in the common room tonight!” His voice spurred the Gryffindors to their locker room as they all whooped and cheered. The situation with Slytherin almost entirely forgotten as they rehashed the details of the game amongst each other. 

Sean was demonstrating an elaborate move he had used to knock one of the bludgers so it hit and misdirected the quaffle mid air, away from their goals. Jeremy laughed and slung his arm around the smaller but definitely broader boy. 

San waved goodbye to Yunho and Jongho before racing after his team and into the locker room.

***

San sat in the Gryffindor common room holding his cup Butterbeer as he watched the rest of Gryffindor hoot and holler around, shouting songs at the top of their lungs as they danced and loud music blared from the megaphone in the corner that was magically enchanted to play throughout the entire room. He sat in one of the armchairs next to the roaring fire, next to him on the couch, Hongjoong smiled and sang along. His butterbeer held high in the air as he sang the familiar words of the weird sisters’ newest song. 

“Speech! SPEECH!” A chorus of voices started to chant. Surely having been started by Riland and Sean. Half of the team shoved Ben out of the corner where he had been talking to Alice. 

San pulled at his collar, the room was becoming stiflingly hot. He tried to move in his chair to a more comfortable position as he turned to where Ben now stood on one of the tables in the middle of the common room. 

Sean and Riland shouted their encouragement as Ben raised his butterbeer and smiled down at everyone. His eyes glinted as he said, “I’m really terrible at speeches.” Ben smiled. His eyes glanced down to stare into his cup. His face was flushed red, a bright blush that had never appeared on Ben’s face was making its way cheeks and down his neck. He looked up around the room. “As long as we win all of our other matches we can still win the cup!” The room rawred around him. “To Victory!” He drained his cup. 

Ben jumped off the table and strode back over to Alice where he wrapped her up in his arms, one hand reaching up to grab her hair as he kissed her ferociously. Their lips smashed together. Around them the entire common room lost their minds as she dropped her cup of butter beer and threw her arms around Ben, kissing him back. 

All of Gryffindor shouted and started back into the celebrations once more. San stood, the heat of the fire was beginning to be too much, if he could cool down maybe he could think clearly. His mind was certainly foggy from the butterbeer and the celebrations around him. 

He passed by Elizabeth and Jeremy who looked as flushed and dazed as San felt. Elizabeth was eyeing Zach, the American exchange student in Gryffindor with half lidded eyes. 

But even as San distanced himself from the fire and the celebrations, his heart continued to pound against his chest, the heat of the room had him pulling at his jumper, aching for relief. 

He found himself stopped in the small entryway next to the portrait hole. Fresh air, that’s what he needed, just to escape the suffocating room for a while until the burning heat calmed down and he could think clearly. 

As he started toward the portrait hole a hand caught his sleeve and he turned back to see Hongjoong glancing at him curiously. “Where are you going?” He asked. 

“I just need some fresh air, I promise I’m not doing anything reckless. It’s barely eleven anyways. Curfew isn’t for another hour. I’ll be back way before then.” San tried to reassure him. He put on a smile and tried to push back the fog in his brain. 

Hongjoong looked San up and down before he said, “Let me come with you.”

“No, stay. Enjoy the party.” San smiled and pulled his arm out of Hongjoong’s grip before turning and pushing the door out and stepping into the hall. 

The silence was immediate. But the relief from the pressing heat was not. He needed to get to one of the big open windows that was near the charms corridor. That was where the fresh air was. 

San’s thumping heart did not slow down as he stumbled to the great staircase and started his way down. He grasped tightly to the railing as the stairs beneath his feet shuddered and started to move. 

Maybe something was wrong? He had only had a couple sips of his butterbeer as he watched and laughed with the rest of Gryffindor tower. No where near enough to have him stumbling and his brain clouding. Maybe Jeremy had spiked the butterbeer, he was old enough, he could have brought some fire whiskey back from Hogsmead or smuggled it into his trunk. 

Where was he going again? San glanced around him. He hadn’t been paying attention to where he was walking, too busy trying to keep upright and squinted at the library doors in front of him. He was about to turn away, he had been looking for something, when the doors opened and out walked Wooyoung, a large book tucked under his arm as he shoved another into his bookbag.

At the sight of Wooyoung, the heat that seemed to be slowly boiling San light into flame. A flame of burning wanton. “Wooyoung.” He breathed. His voice so caught it was almost a sigh. 

Wooyoung looked up at San, a little startled and he gave a small smile. “Hello flower. Are you coming to the library?” 

San shook his head. His eyes fluttered closed as he took a deep breath and opened them again, trying again to clear his head. 

“Oh, did you need something?” Wooyoung asked. His small smile was replaced with furrowed brows and pursed lips. 

“I was- I think I wanted to get some fresh air.” San whispered. “But I got lost.” 

“It’s almost curfew. Did you want me to come with you?” Wooyoung reached out his hand and touched San’s elbow. 

“Could we -“ San stopped himself. “No, I can make it myself.” He looked both ways down the hall. 

Wooyoung smiled and let go of San’s arm, his hands coming to wrap around the book in his hands. He took a step towards the dungeons. 

“Wait-“ San called before he could think about it. He didn’t have any reason to keep Wooyoung with him. But his mind strained against the fog to give Wooyoung a reason to stay. He needed him to stay. 

As he turned to Wooyoung, he lost his balance and stumbled, his arms reaching out to steady himself. 

Quick as lightning, Wooyoung reached out and grabbed San, one hand on his arm, the other snaked around his waist to hold him up. The book he had been holding clattered to the ground. 

San turned, he intended to thank Wooyoung and then continue his way alone. But as he turned Wooyoung adjusted his grip so that they stood chest to chest. San’s hands reached out. He wasn’t touching Wooyoung’s sides but his hands were unsure of where to go, and he could care less because he was lost. Lost in the low light that glinted from the lanterns in the hall into Wooyoung’s deep brown eyes. 

His breath caught in his throat as he stared at Wooyoung. His whole body was frozen in place. 

Neither said a word. They couldn’t. The air around them was charged with static, threatening to shock them if they moved. 

They stood, their eyes roving over each other. San watched as Wooyoung’s eyes traced from his eyes down to his lips. He sucked in a breath and placed his hands on either side of Wooyoung’s hips. 

The air seemed only to charge more. Instead of being stifled it was like he was suddenly getting his fresh air as he stared at Wooyoung. His heart continued it’s wild stampede, he was sure that Wooyoung could feel it through their pressed chests. 

San bit down on his lip as his eyes traced down Wooyoung’s face, over his lips, to his jaw and then down to the hollow of his throat. The soft, delicate skin of his throat as San watched the soft lamplight flicker against his neck. He bent forward, his arms pulling Wooyoung’s hips to him. He trailed his nose against that soft skin. Taking a deep breath in through his nose he let himself smell Wooyoung’s wonderful scent. Eucalyptus and pine along with something else he couldn’t place. 

A shaky breath made its way out as San nuzzled the spot again, unable to get enough. 

“San.” San’s name on Wooyoung’s lips was little more than a sigh. His hands clenched around San’s jumper, bunching it into his fists, pressing San closer as well. 

He gasped as San pressed a soft kiss to the spot he had been nuzzling, right under his jaw. His eyes fluttered shut as pleasure raced from the point San kissed down to his groin. The kiss was followed by another, lower on his neck. 

One of San’s hands wrapped around Wooyoung’s lower back, the other traced up Wooyoung’s spine, in between his shoulder blades as he pressed Wooyoung closer. 

“San,” Wooyoung forced his hands to open, releasing the bunches of San’s jumper. He laid his hands flat on San’s shoulders as he slowly pushed San, trying to look into his eyes. “Something’s wrong.” 

“Hmm?” San clutched Wooyoung closer, his breath hot on Wooyoung’s neck as he kissed Wooyoung’s neck again. 

“San, stop.” Wooyoung panted. The last thing he wanted was to stop but he could tell that something was wrong. The way San had looked, there was something off. 

San finally let Wooyoung push him away. His eyes, which had fallen shut, fluttered open as he struggled to look at Wooyoung. All he wanted to do was clutch him closer and bury his face in Wooyoung’s neck. He closed his eyes again. 

“San look at me.” Wooyoung said a little louder. 

San let his arms slide back to either side of Wooyoung’s hips as he stared at Wooyoung. 

“Are you okay?” 

“Yes,” his words were a breathy sigh. He closed his eyes and let his head fall forward to rest on Wooyoung’s shoulder. His world was spinning in the fog. Only Wooyoung kept him grounded. 

“Did you have a lot of Alcohol tonight?” Asked Wooyoung.

San shook his head. Letting himself take a deep breath in, savoring Wooyoung’s scent. 

“Did you eat anything strange?” 

San started to shake his head and then stopped. He groaned and lifted his head, his hands also lifted from Wooyoung as he tried to take a step away. He lifted his hands and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. “The chocolate.” 

“Chocolate?” Wooyoung kept one hand on San’s arm to steady him but let San take a step away from him.

San groaned again. “After the quidditch match,” He tried to concentrate, the details seemed out of reach. “Daane said they wanted peace or something. He gave everyone chocolate. But he had some too, all of the slytherins did.” His mind continued to race through the night for anything else that could be the cause. 

Wooyoung pulled a hand through his hair, yanking it out of his face. 

“Oh my god,” San gasped in shock as his mind tried to piece together the night. His brain went over what had just happened between him and Wooyoung. “I just assaulted you.” He backed out of Wooyoung’s reach until his back hit the wall of the hallway. His hand pressed to his forehead. “I - I’m so sorry.” Guilt and embarrassment rushed through his veins so suddenly. He had been groping and kissing Wooyoung. Wooyoung had even told him to stop and he almost hadn’t. 

He turned without another thought and bolted down the hallway. He stumbled as he rounded the corner and fell to his knees. But he didn’t stop. He picked himself back up and continued to race down the halls. All the way back to the Gryffindor Tower.


End file.
